Strange Girl
by nacho-chan
Summary: Sakura Haruno is a deadly, secret assassin known by all enemies. But when Sakura moves back to her old home, she finds herself carrying out one of her scariest missions yet- to pose as a regular high school student.   DeiSaku, hints of GaaSaku
1. Chapter 1

ENO RETPAHC

"Sakura. Sakura, wake up." Emerald eyes blinked open, searching their surroundings.

"We're here?" Sakura asked. She looked up at her mentor and guardian, Tsunade.

"You bet. The moving truck's following closely behind." the blonde lady said. Sakura nodded and slid out of the front seat of the sleek, black car. She was simply wearing jeans and sneakers, with a green tank top. She had bandages wrapped on her arms, from her wrists to her elbows. Her bubble gum pink hair flowed down to her shoulders.

"Welcome to your new home!" Tsunade said, walking up to the house. It was kind of small, farther away from the civilization of the city. Sakura walked inside.

"When's the equipment going to get here?" she asked. She kept wondering why they had to move back to Konoha, but Tsunade never told her.

"Soon, soon, don't worry. Then I'll have you training for your next mission!" her guardian explained. Sakura sighed, flopping down on the couch.

_'Why'd we have to move back here?' _she wondered. _'What's this mission all about, anyways?'_

"Sakura, come see your new room." Said girl jumped up, walking upstairs. She might as well see her new room, it was bound to be better than the bunks and small rooms at Corp.

Sakura walked into the room, looking around. It had dark green walls, with regular, white bed sheets. There was a night stand next to it, with a lamp on top. A desk occupied one corner, while a dresser was pushed up against one wall. A closet took up most of one side of the room, while another door led to a small, attached bathroom.

"Where will I keep my weapons?" she asked bewildered. Tsunade just smiled. She walked over to the closet, opening the doors, revealing...

Nothing.

"So... my closet?" she asked, confused. Her senses suddenly picked something up. There was a chakra barrier, concealing a door. Tsunade released it, and a brown, wooden door appeared.

"Well, go ahead- go inside!" Tsunade encouraged. Sakura opened the door, stepping into the dark room. the lights flicked on, and she found herself in a weapon storage room.

Of her very own!

"My... my I.D. poster!" the pink haired girl exclaimed. Hanging up, was a picture of her looking tough dressed in uniform, with info underneath;

**Name: **Sakura Haruno

**Age: **16

**Gender: **Female

**Birthday: **March 28th

**Level: **Jonin

**Codename: **Crimson Blossom

**Info: **Wields an engraved katana, used for finishing the enemy. A natural in genjutsu and taijutsu, becoming Jonin rank at just the age of 14. Taken in by the head of ANBU Corporation, Tsunade, at the age of three, trained as an assassin since then. Highly skilled in the medical field, too.

Sakura smiled at one specific line.

**Occupation:** Assassin

* * *

"Sakura, come down here, I got your mission objective!" Tsunade called. Said girl instantly perked up from her place of unpacking, running out of her room and skipping the last ten stairs.

So... all of them.

She rushed into the living room, finding her mentor on the couch with a bottle of sake. Finally, now she was going to find out why they had to move back here!

"So what is it?" The pink haired girl asked.

_'Could it be some super cool mission?'_ she wondered. _'Like having to break into some secret corporation, or protecting somebody secretly, without them even knowing? Or what if-'_

"Sakura, there has been recent activity of Orochimaru, lately." The color drained from Sakura's face a little, and her excited smile melted. "He was seen walking around Konoha, inspecting the barrier. He has been fairly silent lately, and we think he's plotting something." Sakura sat down in one of the recliners.

"So what are we here for?" she asked.

"Not just us." Tsunade explained. "The others too. We're going to have ANBU stationed all over the city, in disguise. There are about twenty in all. Sound has been recruiting many people, and we're pretty sure Orochimaru's behind it."

"Wait, disguises?" Sakura questioned. "What is every one disguised as?"

"Well, more like _who_ everyone is disguised as. The others started at the beginning of the school year, while I just started a couple months ago."

"School year?" She did not like where this was going.

"Correct. I have taken over the job of principle at a local high school, Konoha High. Shizune has become the secretary and nurse, while Iruka and some others are teachers." Tsunade looked Sakura in the eye.

"And you, Sakura, are going to be a high school student."

"What?" The teenager jumped out of her seat. "Why?"

"Because, we need you to also be in disguise while living here! This is the best way to fit you in!"

"No, I refuse."

"Sakura, you can't refuse a mission. Plus, this is a long mission, so you'll still get to do your other, regular missions." her mentor consoled.

"How?" Sakura asked.

"That's the thing; we've already figured out how!" A smile light the blonde's face. "You'll be a troublemaker. A rebel."

Sakura thought about it a little bit. Realization hit her. "Oh, I get it! That way, when I get called down by the 'principle', everyone will think I just got in trouble again. But really, you'll be calling me down for a mission. And if anything ever comes up and I'm not in class, people will just think I skipped out."

"And since you've already learned all that stuff, pretty much, you can just not pay attention; which will be totally normal for a rebel type person And if you have an unhealed injury from a mission, you can just say you got in a fight." Tsunade continued.

Sakura smiled and nodded, turning upstairs. Her smile melted, and she sighed, walking into her room.

_'Who knows; maybe I'll actually have fun.'_

* * *

"SAKURA! GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF BED!" The pink haired girl jumped up, looking around wildly for the enemy. That was then when she remembered it.

School.

The worst enemy of all.

She sighed, walking over to her dresser. _'Oh, right.' _she remembered. _'I'm supposed to be a troublemaker, a rebel; mean, dangerous and not very friendly looking.'_

She sighed, again, and pulled out some clothes. A pair of black straight jeans, a black tank top that dipped down to reveal a red layer. She put on a black leather jacket with the sleeves ripped off (well, at least they were _now_). Her black fingerless gloves came on with a pair of black and white converse on her feet.

"I'm wearing too much black." Sakura complained as she walked downstairs. Tsunade looked at her.

"Ah, your fine. Here's a frozen waffle for breakfast." Sakura rolled her eyes playfully.

"Wow, a frozen waffle. And here I was all worried that you would make me pancakes and bacon." she said sarcastically. The pink haired girl began to fill her backpack with 'school supplies'.

_'Let's see... a couple pencils, a binder, first-aid kit, my drawing pad, dagger, my iPod, folder, shuriken...'_

"Hey!" Sakura called in to her mentor. "So I don't have to pay attention, right? Since I already know all this stuff?"

"You can go ahead and fail every class." was the reply. "But it would be nice if you at least aced the tests. But no; you don't have to pay attention." Sakura smiled, slinging the bag over her shoulder. She opened up the door.

"Oh, and there probably won't be any missions today!" Tsunade called after her. "And wear your helmet!" she yelled. A 'Yeah, yeah.' was her only response, causing her to shake her head.

_'What am I going to do with that girl?' _Her brown eyes caught the clock. _'Well, I better get going, too. Got to go be the principle.'_

* * *

"Oh, yeah! And I heard that we're getting a new girl today!" Naruto exclaimed. A goofy grin filled his face, his blue eyes twinkling with happiness.

"Really? What's she like?" Ino asked. She flipped her long, pale blonde hair out of her face and over her shoulder.

"Well, apparently, she's really mean, and tough, and can break your arm like a twig!" Everyone gasped. "And she's even worse than Gaara with the dressing and not socializing!" Everyone gasped louder. Gaara scowled.

The group, of which the one that was hanging out on the front lawn of the school, consisted of many friends. There was Naruto and Sasuke; a loud mouth idiotic blonde with whiskers on his cheeks and a cool, nonchalant teen with spiky black hair which is loved by all the girls. Then there's Hinata and Neji; two cousins from a rich family with pearly eyes. Ino is a girly, preppy pale blonde that is also a holding member of the Sasuke fan club, while Tenten is a tough, tomboy brunette that won't let any push her around, yet she can still be very sweet.

Shikamaru; the smartest and laziest kid in the school, has been best friends with Choji; a boy who is fairly chubby. Kiba is a boy with canine like teeth and two upside-down red triangles on his cheek, who has a loving dog named Akamaru. Finally, there's the three Sand siblings; Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara. Temari, a spunky dirty blonde, and her brother Kankuro, a creepy boy who plays with puppets, are a year older. Gaara is the youngest, and is with everyone else most of the time with his blood red hair.

_'Oh, great.'_ Gaara thought. _'Another loud-mouth girl that thinks she's so perfect and just falls in love with Uchiha.'_

"I also-" Naruto was cut off by the sound of a motorcycle. Everyone in front of the school turned towards the source of the sound. Someone was riding up, with a black helmet covering their face. The mysterious person's motorcycle was a shiny black, outlined in silver with a design of swirls and lines etched in the same color on either side. The vehicle pulled into the small school parking lot, cutting off the engine.

"Who's that?" Ino questioned. The student -who they now figured out was a girl- stepped off. Gaara turned his teal eyes on her. He hated to admit it, but this girl intrigued him somewhat. Everyone watched as she pulled off her helmet.

"Pink hair?" Kiba said, bewildered. The girl grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder.

"That must be the new girl!" Tenten realized. They watch her walk up the main side walk, ignoring all the stares she was getting. Sasuke smirked and stepped out in front of her, blocking her path. She stopped, looking up at him nonchalantly.

"Hey, there." he said coolly. It made a bunch of girls faint. "My name's Sasuke." Everyone watched as she stared up at him with uncaring emerald eyes.

"...So?" Sasuke frowned, but soon replaced it with a smile that made all the girls that just fainted, go into unconsciousness.

"Well, I'm one of the most popular guys in school, and I was wondering if _you_ wanted to go out sometime." Everyone shook their head, waiting for the squealing and the 'YES, YES, YES!' to come.

Sakura just looked straight up at him.

"**I don't like you.**" her voice was cold, sounding loud over the silent school lawn. With that, she pushed past him and continued on into the school, the door falling shut behind her. Everyone was silent. Naruto was the first to recover.

He pointed at his friend and laughed. "Haha! REJECTED!" Sasuke growled and began to chase him all around the school. Gaara looked towards the school where the mysterious rosette had disappeared. He smirked.

He liked this girl.

o.O.0.O.o

First chapter of my first (posted at least) story! It gets much better later, except I don't know which pairing to make it…


	2. Chapter 2

OWT RETPAHC

"Class! Class, today we have a new student." Miss Kurenai said, gathering the students' attention. They all looked up, sitting back in their seats "She should be here soon..." the teacher peeked out the door. Nope, no girl.

"Ah, oh well. I guess we'll just start the lesson." she turned to the board and began writing.

_'Hm, that new girl is late.' _Gaara thought. He sat nearer towards the back of the room, along with the friends that were in this class. Naruto, Sasuke, Ino, Hinata, Neji and Shikamaru were all next to him.

"Okay, then!" Kurenai started as she finished writing. "Now, who can give the answer to the first problem you had to do for last night's homework- eh?"

She suddenly stopped, looking at the back of the room. _'What's her problem-?' _His jade eyes widened slightly as everyone looked back to see a pink haired girl sitting in the corner at a desk that was more in the shadows. She was listening to an iPod, unseen by Kurenai, and staring out the window with her eyes half-lidded.

"Ah, there's the new student! And she was here all along!" the girl turned, feeling the eyes of the students on her. She paused the music before looking at the teacher.

"Why don't you stand up and tell the class about yourself?" she just stared at the teacher.

"No." The girl said bluntly.

"How about you sit down and do it?"

"No."

"At least your name?"

The girl just gave her a look that clearly said 'No.' before pressing play on her iPod. The teacher sweat dropped.

"Okay, then, I guess we'll just continue with the lesson..." she continued as said while Gaara looked over at the new girl.

_'I wonder what her problem is.' _he thought. _'She was so... nonchalant and isn't even paying attention. She wouldn't even tell the class her name!' _he watched as she pulled out a drawing pad and began drawing. He strained to see what it was, keeping his arms crossed across his chest in his usual pose.

_'What's she doing now? Drawing? She's so strange, with pink hair, and green eyes, and not instantly falling in love with Uchiha. I wonder-'_

"Gaara!" he snapped back over to his friends, seeing them all raising an eyebrow at him.

"Are you okay?" Neji asked.

"Ooooh! Gaara has a crush on the new girl! He's in _loo~ooove!_" Naruto teased. The red head scowled at him.

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Are too."

"Am not-! Ah, oh, wait!" Everyone laughed at the blonde's confusion while Gaara smirked. He noticed the teacher wasn't there.

"Where's Miss Kurenai?" he asked.

"She had to go make some copies." Sasuke explained. A group of girls were staring at him dreamily.

"Ah." he looked back over at the new girl. She had put her drawing pad away and was now staring out the window again.

"S-she looks l-lonely..." Hinata stuttered.

"We should ask her if she wants to sit with us!" Naruto exclaimed. Ino scowled, sticking up her nose.

"No way! I don't want that gothic nobody hanging around us!" she said. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"You haven't even given her a chance, why don't you go talk to her?" the lazy boy suggested. She huffed.

"Fine. Come on, Hinata." said girl squeaked as she was suddenly dragged across the room. Ino stopped in front of the new girl, catching her attention.

"Hey, girl. We've got a question for ya'." The rest of the group watched, listening to the upcoming conversation.

"I have a name, you know."

"..."

"..."

"Well, what is it?" Ino burst out. The rosette yawned lazily.

"Oh. I didn't know you wanted me to tell you."

"Shut up, Billboard Brow!"

"Whatever." she turned back towards the window. "Pig."

Ino screeched before stomping back around to Shikamaru, shaking him awake from his nap.

"This is all your fault! She called me 'Pig'!" All the guys laughed.

"Okay, so maybe sending Ino over was a bad idea." Naruto said. Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but Hinata's very kind, and everyone's always kind back." Neji reasoned. They all nodded, looking back towards the two girls.

"I-I'm sorry!" Hinata apologized. "Ino has a short temper."

The new girl didn't respond.

"W-we just wanted to k-know, if-" the shy girl was cut off by the sound of beeping. The pink haired girl rolled up her sleeve, looking at a digital pink watch.

"Ah. I've got to go." she began putting her stuff back in her bag, flinging it over her shoulder.

"Hey, you can't just leave!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up.

"If you're caught without a pass in the halls-" Gaara was cut off as she opened up the window, leaping out. He jumped up along with everyone else, running to the spot where the girl had just disappeared. The ground was about seven feet down. They scanned all over.

But she was gone.

"Kids." Kurenai walked back in. "Get away from the window and back in your seats." she set the copies down on her desk as they obeyed her.

"Where's the new girl?" she asked, noticing the absence of pink. No one answered, until Gaara spoke up, his voice nonchalant.

"She jumped out the window."

* * *

_'I can't believe Tsunade's making me train on the first day.' _Sakura thought as she walk on the open roof of the school. An image of that group of kids flashed though her mind, making her smile. _'Those guys seem like great friends. It's too bad I couldn't have joined them.'_ she sighed.

_'But I can't make any friends that aren't in ANBU. That's not even good either. Friends in the corporation could die any day, just like I could. And if I have friends who aren't from the corporation, they could be targeted to be used against me.'_

She stopped at the end of the building, jumping down and landing in the window of the "principle's" office.

"Should you be drinking sake on school grounds?" Sakura questioned, spotting the half empty bottle in her mentor's hand. The woman spun around, relaxing when she saw Sakura.

"Shouldn't you be in class? I said you don't have to train until eleven." The blonde asked. Sakura shrugged.

"The class was getting... annoying." she lied. Tsunade wasn't a fan of weaknesses

"Sakura, how did you leave the classroom?"

"Um... what if I said I jumped out the window?"

Tsunade sighed. "And what floor were you on?"

"Only the first!" Sakura defended. Her mentor shook her head.

"I guess it can't be helped." She looked the pink haired girl in the eye. "But for that; fifty one finger push-ups, seventy sit ups, an hour of kunai and shuriken target practice, and you have to defeat two-hundred wood dummies in less than twenty minutes."

Sakura groaned. "I swear, one day I'm going to die while training how _not_ to die." she mumbled, jumping out the window. Tsunade smiled after her.

"Shizune! Get me more sake!"

* * *

_'That's 137, and it's only been... ten minutes.' _Sakura said in her mind. She punched though another wood dummy, striking the one next to it with her foot. Her eye flinched closed as a drop of water landed right next to it. She looked up, destroying three more dummies.

_'Rain?'_

* * *

_'It's raining pretty hard. Good thing I brought an umbrella today.' _Gaara thought as he looked out the window at the sheets of rain. It pounded down on the roof, the sound adding a gloomy aura in the school.

"Okay, so after the war, the general-" Asuma was cut off as the door opened. Gaara looked up with the rest of his class to see a pink haired girl standing in the door frame.

Well, that is, pink haired girl soaked to the bone.

"Excuse me, miss, but where have you been?" Asuma asked, stopping his lesson. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Where do you think? Outside." her emerald eyes scanned the room quickly, falling upon a seat behind Gaara and the gang. She began to walk over when the teacher stopped her.

"Oh, no. You're not getting off that easily." Asuma said. "You do realize that there is only five minutes left of this period, right? And I've heard that you missed the other periods before lunch, _and_ you missed lunch too!"

"Really? No wonder I'm so hungry." Everyone chuckled, but suddenly stopped at their teacher's glare.

"Now listen here-" Asuma was cut off by the bell, which led to the girl speeding out of the room. Gaara stood up with the rest of his friends, walking out of the class.

"What was with that girl? She's so strange!" Naruto wondered. He stood at his locker next to Gaara.

"She just moved here. Give her some time." the red head said. He slammed his locker back closed, walking to math class with the loud blonde. They parted ways soon.

_'Maybe that girl's in this class too.' _he wondered. Gaara adjusted the math binder in his grip. _'Maybe we'll find out her name.'_

He walked in and, sure enough, the same pink haired girl was sitting in the corner, though there were no windows in the room this time. Gaara just walked over, sitting with Shikamaru, Neji, and Sasuke.

_'She must be pretty smart to be in this advanced class. Maybe-' _

"Hello, class!" the teacher walked in; a strange man with spiky gray hair and a headband covering one eye while a mask covered his the rest. Only one eye was visible.

Everyone suddenly looked to the corner as a sudden banging was heard. The new girl was banging her head against her desk. Kakashi, the teacher, smiled.

"Why, if it isn't Sakura Haruno! I heard that you were going to be in my class." he walked over to her.

"Sakura... her name fits." Sasuke commented.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked.

"Her hair is pink like a Sakura blossom. Duh." Shikamaru explained before laying his head down to go back to sleep. "Troublesome..." he muttered.

"I don't know you." Sakura stated.

"Aw, I feel so hurt! How could you not remember your Uncle Kakashi?" the man said. Sakura growled at him, clenching her fists.

"You're not my uncle, you crazy old man." she said. Kakashi-sensei just chuckled, ruffling her hair before walking back to his desk. Sakura scowled, fixing her hair back to its original position.

"Okay, class. Today will be a free day, because I have to read this text book for specific teacher reasons..." But everyone knew that he wasn't really reading the text book.

"She still looks lonely..." Hinata observed. Tenten nodded.

"Are you two _crazy_?" Ino exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're thinking of asking her to join us!" She scowled as they remained silent.

"But she is kind of strange." Sasuke agreed. "Not paying attention at all, jumping out the window, not coming back until last period; all on her first day here." Everyone continued looking at the pink haired girl.

_'She is acting pretty strange. But at least she isn't some preppy girl that looks down on everyone else.' _Gaara thought. Those girls were horrible. And scary.

"She has such strange features." Neji observed.

"Yeah, pink hair and green eyes."

"She dresses kind of dark too."

"Maybe she's gothic?"

"Well, duh!"

"Plus a kind of scary aura."

"Yay! Gaara finally has someone who understands him!" Gaara bonked the blonde boy on the head.

"But yeah, very strange." Gaara agreed, quiet as always.

"Where do you think she came from?"

"I don't know... where do you think she lives?"

"Do you think it's around here, or farther away?"

"I wonder-"

Suddenly, Sakura appeared behind them, slamming her hands onto one of the desks. She scowled at them all.

"It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back." she growled. Luckily, (for the group anyways) the bell rang, and the class rushed out of the room. Gaara sighed, following his friends. He took another glance at the pink haired girl before leaving. A small smile found its way onto his face.

_'She's just like me when I moved here.'_

* * *

"Man, Kakashi! Their so rude! Especially that blonde girl!" Sakura complained to the silver haired teacher. He chuckled behind his mask.

"Yes, but you still wish you could be friends with them, no?" Sakura's anger faded.

"Yeah. They all seem to have so much fun together. But..."

"But they could be targeted and most likely hurt if they became friends with you?" Kakashi finished. She nodded.

"Exactly. Plus, I'd always be lying to them. What about when I have to go out on a mission, or go practice? How would I explain to them if I got hurt?"

Kakashi shrugged. "That's for you to decide. But you better get going; I heard that your new weapons arrived today."

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Yes! See ya, sensei!" She raced out of the room, out of the school, a giddy smile on her face. The people in the school yard stared at her strangely, but... whatever. She didn't care. The pink haired girl jumped onto her motorcycle, released the kickstand and revved the engine; all in one motion. By the time she actually touched the seat, she was already racing out of the parking lot.

* * *

_'Life's been pretty good lately. I've only had to practice with no missions! Just sit back and relax...' _

**"Sakura Haruno to the office please, Sakura Haruno to the office."**

"Dang it!" Said girl cursed loudly as the voice came over the intercom. The class looked at her strangely (again) as she stalked out of the room. Sakura hurried down the hallway and into the principle's office.

"Mission?" she said quickly, walking behind a changing screen.

"Some thieves' hideout was located about an hour ago in the outer woodland of West Konoha. The group consists of five trained men; two swordsman and three rogues. They've been stealing jewelry and money." Tsunade explained. Sakura came out a second later, completely dressed for a mission.

Her outfit consisted of a black tank top that dipped down to reveal a green under layer the same color of her eyes. A black, sleeveless zip-up jacket was undone on top of black cargo shorts. Knee high boots were on her legs while a sword, medicine pack, and weapon pack were strapped to her waist. Bandages adorned her forearms.

"Gotcha. Easy. I'll be back in less than an hour." And with that, she jumped out the window, disappearing in a flash.

* * *

Sakura slipped through the undergrowth silently, not making a sound. The hideout was about fifty feet in front of her, and voices drifted from its contents.

"You guys call this 'valuable'? There's barely any gold here!"

"But Boss! The house was only filled with this! It's all we could get!"

"I don't care, you simpleton! I've got tons of gold gathered here in this back room, and this hardly adds!" A sound of jewelry being thrown onto the floor was heard.

"Now, go back out to a house that actually _has_ gold and silver in it, and bring it back to me!"

"Aw, leaving so soon?" The five men spun around towards the door at the voice. "I was hoping you'd show me where the back room was."

Sakura watched as the two swordsmen drew their weapons. _'I can snatch one of those after this.' _she thought. It would be good to add to her collection of other swords stolen from different defeated enemies.

"Attack her! She's just a teenage girl!" The boss yelled. A smirk appeared on her face as the man finished his words.

Oh, and what her favorite words they were.

The other four rushed at her. She lifted up a leg, kicking one in the jaw and sending him flying towards the wall. He landed with a soft thud, not moving again. '_Ha. Wimp.'_

She whipped out a kunai, blocking a sword to her left with it. Using her mobile hand, she landed a punch to her attacker's arm with all her power. A crack was felt under her fist as his arm went limp. He swung the sword wildly with only his right hand, Sakura dodging it every time. She was slowly luring towards the back wall, where his sword sliced in to it, getting caught in its depth. The man turned his head just in time to see a boot clad foot slam into his back, snapping his spine. A sickening crack was heard before he too fell to the floor.

Sakura turned onto the last three. The boss had already ran back to his treasure room, while the other two, a swordsman and a rogue, watched her with shocked eyes. The rogue yelled a battle cry, lunging at her while pulling out a dagger. She slipped out three shurikan from her pack, throwing the stars at him. Two knocked the dagger out of his hand while the other stuck in his thigh. He stopped to pull it out, but by then Sakura had appeared in front of him, jabbing a kunai into his gut. His eyes widened as blood rose in his throat, causing him to cough it up. His eyes glazed over as he fell stiffly to the floor.

Sakura stared at the back room with cold eyes. The other swordsman had ran back to his boss. She kicked open the door, sending it off the hinges. Inside was a single desk filled with riches. The boss was yelling at the last swordsman to hurry and load all the gold into a bag. He gasped as she appeared.

"How were you able to kill all my men without even drawing your blade?" he confronted. Sakura stared him down with cold, dark emerald eyes.

"Because. I only draw my sword to kill the boss." She smiled as he gulped, his face paling. She pulled out her sword; a silver blade with an emerald design carved into it with a dark green handle.

"But-!" He was silenced as the blade slipped through his chest. Blood came up his throat, a gurgling sound emitting from it. He flinched as she pulled the blade back out, blood dripping from its tip. He fell to the floor as she walked over to the other swordsman, sheathing her sword. He cowered with fear stricken eyes.

"Please! Please, have mercy!" the man begged. "I never wanted to steal from people, but, but he said he'd give me money! And my wife is terribly sick, and my children! They can't live without their mother, and we barely have any food! Please, spare me!" tears streamed down his face as he spoke. He flinched as Sakura bent down.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you." Sakura said. Up close she could see that he was younger than the other men; he had not known how wrong it was and was just confused, making a mistake in the good intentions of his family.

He looked up in surprise at her. Her once cold eyes were now warm, and a soft smile filled her face.

"Actually, I'm going to help you. I can heal your wife." He gasped at her words.

"W-what? How?"

"I'm a ninja; I have such a thing called _chakra _in me. It's too complicated to explain, but you can see if you take me to her." She smiled assuringly at his uncertain gaze.

"Don't worry. I'm here to help you."

* * *

"So, Sakura, how did the mission go? You're very late." Tsunade was speaking to Sakura as the pink haired girl changed back into her other clothes behind the screen..

"Well, I got the stuff back. I already handed that to Shizune. But then one of the thieves there, he said he was only doing it because his wife was terribly sick, and, and his poor little kids...!" Sakura trailed off, coming out and looking at Tsunade. The blonde lady sighed.

"So you went and healed his wife for him?" Sakura only smiled in reply, walking out of the room.

"See ya'!" Sakura walked down the empty halls. That guy was nice. She was happy she helped him out. She suddenly stopped.

"Wait a minute." She muttered out loud. "What class am I going to...?" Her emerald eyes flickered at the classroom doors and the teachers inside.

_'That's not one of my teachers... nor is he... ah, I know it's on this floor!...I think.'_

"Agh, I don't even know which period it is!" she exclaimed.

"It's the last period of the day."

"Eh?" Sakura spun around to see a boy with blood red hair, and jade green eyes with black rings around them. She stared at him in surprise before registering what he said.

"Oh, well, if someone could have told me that sooner I would have just left straight away!" She scowled before glancing over the boy.

"Who are you again?"

"Who are _you_?"

"You know who I am. You're in Kakashi's class with me."

He smirked. "Fine. I'm Gaara. And you can't just leave. There's still half an hour left of last period."

Sakura rolled her eyes. She began backing up, turning into a different hallway, and saying in a mocking tone; "Fine. I'm Gaara. And you can't just leave. There's still half an hour left of last period. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." Her voice faded away, leaving Gaara to raise an eyebrow.

_'What a strange girl.'_

o.O.0.O.o

Yay! Chapter two. Yep. Got a lot o' chapters to post.


	3. Chapter 3

EERHT RETPAHC

"C'mon, Gaara! Let's go!"

Gaara sighed at the blonde's loud enthusiasm. Naruto was currently dragging him, Sasuke and a _very_ red Hinata out to the front school yard to meet up with the rest of their friends.

"Dobe, you better let go of Hinata before she hypervenalates." Sasuke said as they reached the grass. Naruto let go of them as Hinata regained her breath.

"Oops, sorry Hinata." he apologized, smiling sheepishly.

"I-it's okay, N-Naruto."

"Don't forgive him so easily!" Ino said, appearing behind the timid girl.

"Yeah!" Tenten appeared to Hinata's other side. "By the way, can Ino and I come over tonight?" the brunette asked.

"Su-"

"Absolutely not." Tenten sighed at the response from Neji.

"C'mon, Neji, you have to loosen up! I'm sure Uncle would be okay with it!" Neji rolled his eyes at Tenten's calling of his uncle, Hinata's father, 'Uncle'. She always called him that when she came over, even though he wasn't her uncle.

"How troublesome. I won't be able to sleep with everyone talking." And so the last of the group came up, Shikamaru in the lead.

Tenten looked over at the parking lot, noticing that the motorcycle was still there. "Hey, looks like that Sakura girl is still here."

"Oh, you're right. I wonder where she-" Temari was cut off as screaming was heard from a group of girls who were sitting at the bottom of a big oak tree. Everyone looked over to see the group run away and Sakura jump down from the leaves.

"She... was in the tree?" Kiba said, one eyebrow raised. They watched as she shook some leaves from her hair, stuffing her hands in her pockets and walking in their direction towards her motorcycle.

"You know, she's pretty hot." Sasuke smirked. Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow at him.

"You've never taken interest in any girl before." the red head stated. Sasuke never took his eyes from her as he replied.

"And no girl has ever _not taken _any interest in me." Gaara watched as the ebony haired teen left their little side conversation.

Meanwhile, Hinata walked up to Sakura as she passed by.

"E-excuse me, S-Sakura, but, um, I was wondering i-if you wanted to j-join us?" Everyone watched the pink haired girl's back, waiting for an answer. She paused before spinning around, her eyes giving a hard glare.

"Buzz off, you timid pearl-eyed freak." Everyone gasped at the response. Hinata shrunk back, tears brimming her eyes.

"Hey, you can't say that to Hinata!" Naruto yelled, taking a step forward. Everyone glared at the pink haired girl.

"Whatever. It's not like I care." She jumped onto her motorcycle, looking at them as she revved the engine.

"Just leave me alone."

And with that, she sped off.

* * *

"Hey, Sakura, how was your day?" Tsunade greeted as her student walked in the door. She had a sad look on her face.

"Wonderful. Absolutely terrific." she muttered sadly, walking up to her room and closing the door. Sakura plopped down onto her bed.

_'I can't believe I said that.' _she thought miserably. _'She looked so hurt and sad, and the rest of them seemed to hate my guts.'_

She pictured the glares that she had received in her head. Those had hurt _her_. She wished she could have become friends with them.

_'Friends...'_

Sakura sighed at this word. She could never have them. One friend, _one friend_! was all she's ever had! She felt herself become angry.

_'It's all because I had to become a member of the ANBU, an assassination corporation.'_ She pushed herself up off her bed and over to the window, jumping out and landing gracefully on the ground. Rain pelted down on her.

_'And I became an assassin because my parents were killed.'_ Sakura walked back to a clearing surrounded by trees for practicing. She clenched her fist in anger.

_'And my parents were killed because... because of...' _She looked up, emerald eyes cold with rage, packing chakra into her fist and drove it into the nearest tree. It split in half and she screamed in anger and frustration, turning her face up to the raining sky.

"Orochimaru! I blame it all on you!"

* * *

"Sakura! Sakura, where have you been?" a worried Tsunade questioned as Sakura walked through the door, out of the rain. Her anger had died down, and now...

Now she was she sad. Empty. She felt alone.

"Sakura?" Said girl looked up at her name. Tears mixed with the rain still on her checks.

"It's all his fault, Tsunade. All his fault..."

* * *

Sakura woke up for school. She slowly dressed into the dark clothes, not wanting to go to school and see _them_. It seemed like the mean attitude act was off for today. She flinched at her right hand.

_'Crap, I must have broken it a little. But if I heal it right now, Tsunade will sense the chakra and know...'_

She decided to suck it up until later when Tsunade or anybody else wasn't around. She quietly walked downstairs. Tsunade was standing there with a blueberry muffin and her bag. Her mentor smiled at her.

"Have a good day." Sakura smiled at her motherly attitude. She knew how to make her feel better.

"Thanks." she stopped before going out the door. "And Tsunade? I'm sorry about overacting and running off yesterday."

Her mentor just smiled. "If you overreacted, you would have went off to kill Orochimaru yourself. You just needed to let it all out."

"Really? You're okay with it? What if I told you I broke my right hand from 'letting it all out'?" Tsunade's face turned to one of disbelief.

"You did _what_?"

"Well then, um, see you later!"

"HARUNO SAKURA, GET BACK HERE!" She opened the door, only to see a black and silver motorcycle race off, pink hair flying behind. Tsunade sighed and shook her head.

_'And she didn't even put her helmet on...'_

* * *

Sakura rode down the streets of Konoha, towards the high school. There was sure to be some drama when she tried to talk to them, but...

_'I have to apologize. I hurt them, and it was wrong, so I must apologize.'_

She could see the school ahead, and in the front yard, she could see a blonde spiky head, brown buns, an ebony duck butt hairstyle;

It was them.

They had quite talking as she approached, stopping in the small parking lot and cutting off the engine. They were all glaring at her as she stepped off.

Sakura felt her heart twang in guilt as they moved protectively in front of Hinata as she walked towards them.

"What do you want?" It was the red head, Gaara, she recognized, that spoke so coldly. But she ignored the rest of them and instead looked back at the girl with the pearly eyes.

"Hinata." The girl looked up in surprise at the softness of the voice. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Naruto exclaimed. They were all surprised by her apology, especially since it sounded so sincere.

_'But remember, Sakura.' _She silently scolded herself. _'You still can't be friends with them.'_

"Are you serious?" Ino exclaimed in uncertainty. Sakura just nodded.

"I shouldn't have been so mean." she said. Hinata pushed out from behind Neji and Naruto.

"T-then, will you join u-us?" They looked at her waiting once again for an answer. She looked down and sighed, her eyelids briefly sliding closed.

"No. You guys need to stay away from me."

"Wha-? Stay away from you-?" but Naruto was cut off as the bell rang, and the pink haired girl walked away, disappearing into the crowd of students.

* * *

"Haruno! Get up here!" Asuma ordered. Said girl sighed, reluctantly getting up. She walked up to the board, standing next to the teacher. "Now, please write the answer to question two on the board."

Sakura just stared at the piece of chalk in the outstretched hand.

"I can't."

"What?"

"I can't." she answered again. Asuma narrowed his eyes.

"And_ why_ can't you?"

"I can't."

Asuma growled in frustration.

"Well, if you can't write the answer, maybe you could take this detention slip instead?" Sakura shrugged, surprising the teacher by taking the paper and going back to her seat. Everyone watched as she stuffed it into her backpack and stared out the window.

"Um, okay then..."

* * *

Gaara was walking through the hallways on his way to lunch, when he saw Sakura at her locker. There wasn't anyone at the ones next to her. He watched her.

"What happened to your hand?" the pink haired girl jumped at the voice next to her. She looked up before scowling.

"Nothing. Didn't I tell you guys to stay away from me?" she tried to walk away but he grabbed her hand. She flinched as he grabbed her _right_ hand.

"Liar. You hurt it, didn't you?" Gaara questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"I already told you. No. Now go away-"

"Why are you separating yourself from everyone?" he cut in. Sakura looked at him in surprise, before her face melted into a scowl.

"Quit talking like you would understand." she countered.

"I do understand. I use to be just like you-"

"Oh, shut up!" Sakura interrupted. "Like you could ever understand! You know nothing!" she ripped her hand out of his grip, glaring at him with cold, hard eyes.

"You guys _need_ to stay away from me, it's for your own good!"

Gaara only watched with surprised jade eyes as she stalked off, down the halls.

* * *

"Gaara, you are an IDIOT." Temari lectured as the group walked out of the school at the end of the day.

"It's not my fault." the red head defended. "He's the one who started it."

"So? You finished it!" His older sister yelled. Gaara just rolled his eyes.

"Hey, guys, what's going on?" Naruto asked as he came up.

"Gaara got another detention." Tenten explained.

"Whoa, who was the victim?"

"That one Deidara kid from the class next door." Kankuro answered.

"So... how did it happen?" Naruto questioned further.

"He was saying some annoying stuff and poking me in the back with a pencil." Gaara said.

"Yeah. And then you turned around, snapped the pencil, and punched him in the face." Temari finished.

"Ouch. Black eye?" Kiba asked. Gaara averted his gaze.

"Whatever. I'm leaving." the red head stalked off, around to the back of the school.

_'Stupid detention. And this Friday, too. I-' _Gaara's thought were cut off by hysterical laughter coming from back by the dumpster.

"Ahahahahahaha!" He peeked around to see Deidara and Sasori.

And Sakura.

"Shut up, yeah!" Deidara yelled at the laughing girl. She didn't stop.

"B-but... it looks s-so f-funny!" she broke into another fit of laughter at the blonde boy's black eye, which was now purple and blue, and kind of shaped like a heart.

"I said stop laughing!" Deidara watched impatiently as she didn't listen to him once again. A vain throbbed in his head and he grabbed the collar of her shirt with his fist, pushing her up against the dumpster. She still didn't stop laughing.

"Oh, yeah? Well, what if I give you one too, un?" Gaara's eyes widened as the blonde's fist flew toward her.

_BANG!_

Sakura dodged his fist, escaping from his grip, resulting in his fist ramming into the dumpster. He recovered quickly and turned around to try and land a hit on her again. Gaara took a step forward to help her, but she just dodged it again.

And again.

And again.

"Stop wasting your energy, Deidara." Sasori spoke calmly from the side. "You shouldn't be trying to hit a girl anyways."

"Whatever." Deidara growled. He stalked off, Sasori following slowly behind. Sakura watched them go before releasing another giggle.

"I heard that!" Deidara's yell was heard from around the corner. She just laughed again, and it even got Gaara to laugh. Sakura spun around when she heard him.

"Oh, great. _You_ again. The Stalker." she said. Her emerald eyes searched around for her bag spotting it leaning against the wall of the school. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"I was the one who gave him that black eye, you know." Sakura looked up at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Really?" She retrieved her bag, sliding it on. "Did you get away with it?"

"You seem in a good mood. A lot more conversational." Gaara commented. She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. His eye was just the perfect pick-me-up." They started walking back around the school building.

"And by the way, no, I didn't get away with it. I've got a detention after school on Friday." he finished.

"Really? Me too." Sakura said. He was about to ask why when he remembered the little episode in class.

"Oh yeah... so, are you going to admit that you hurt your hand?"

"Nope!"

"Didn't think so." They came around to the front of the school, and spotted some boys checking out Sakura's motorcycle. One of them leaned forward to touch it.

"HEY!" Sakura yelled across the schoolyard at them. "GET AWAY FROM MY BIKE, YOU DANG WHIPPERSNAPPERS!" They took off running as she raced towards them, a deadly aura around her.

Gaara watched her run after them, picking up one of their forgotten bags and launching the school books inside at them. He laughed shaking his head.

_'What a strange girl indeed.'_

o.O.0.O.o

Wow! I was surprised how many people liked this! If you go to my profile, you can vote on whether you want GaaSaku or DeiSaku… BUT WAIT! (haha, I'm like those infomercials) You might want to wait and read the next chapter or two (once I post them) so… yeah…

Homework…


	4. Chapter 4

RUOF RETPAHC

"I can't believe you got a detention! You could have just let me heal your hand before school and not gone through all that!" Tsunade lectured. Sakura sighed.

"Sorry! Got to go!" Sakura hurried out of the house before Tsunade's wrath was released.

_'Man, it's Friday already.' _Sakura thought as she jumped on her motorcycle. She was about to pull out when her mentor appeared in front of her.

"As a punishment, you have to _walk_ to school, instead of taking your motorcycle." Sakura gaped at her.

"What? But it's supposed to rain later!" Sakura protested. The blonde shrugged.

"Oh, well. Your fault."

And with that, Sakura reluctantly slipped off her beloved bike and began the long, long walk to school.

* * *

**"Sakura Haruno to the detention room**, **Sakura Haruno to the detention room."**

_'Darn it! And I thought that maybe I could just skip.' _Sakura thought as she walked through the halls.

"Aw, was someone trying to skip?"

"Shut up, Gaara." the red head laughed at her reaction. They walked in a somewhat awkward silence to the detention room. There was only one other boy in the room, excluding the teacher. He glared at them, obviously not happy to sit there just to watch some stupid teenagers who got in trouble.

"Names?" he asked in a monotone voice when they walked through the door.

"Gaara no Sabaku."

"You're good." he said, spotting the name on the list. He glanced at Sakura. "Name?"

A smiled curled on her lips. "Sukara Uranaho." He scanned the list.

"You're not on here."

"What?" Sakura acted surprised. "I'm not?"

"Nope. See ya'." Gaara glared at her as she walked towards the door.

"Wait a minute." She froze in her tracks. "You wouldn't happen to be Sakura Haruno, would you?" Accusation laced his voice.

"So close." Sakura muttered. She stalked over to an empty desk.

_'There's not even any windows.' _Sakura complained in her mind. _'And I'm not allowed to listen to my iPod either.'_

"Erm, I have to... report to the teacher's lounge very quickly. I'll be right back."

_'Liar.' _Gaara and Sakura thought simultaneously. The teacher got up and left the room. It was quiet for a few seconds before,

"Well. I'm skipping." The other kid announced, grabbing his bag and walking out of the room. The door slid closed behind him and it was silence once more.

"Are you going to skip too?" Gaara asked. Sakura shook her head 'no'.

"Tsunade will kill me." she replied. He nodded in understanding as she took out her iPod. He peeked over at the screen before returning back to his regular position.

"Their other album is better." He commented. She glanced up at him, lowering the volume.

"I know! But this album has my favorite song." she pointed to the name at the top of the small screen.

"Eh? That's mine too. Have you listened to the song..."

And so a conversation began.

* * *

"Haha, that looks so funny!"

"Shut up." Gaara mumbled. They were both doodling on a piece of notebook paper, and Sakura was laughing at his crudely drawn puppy-rabbit-thing.

"But it-!" Sakura was cut off as the door opened. The non-caring teacher walked in.

"Okay. Detention's over. Go home." They both raised an eyebrow and grabbed their bags, walking out of the room.

"He didn't even notice that other guy left." Sakura mentioned when they were out of earshot.

"I don't think he would have even noticed if we both left and the classroom was wrecked and in flames." the red head replied, causing Sakura to laugh. They reached the front doors of the school to find it raining outside.

_'Good thing I brought an umbrella.' _Gaara thought, retrieving the red object from his backpack.

"See, you were smart." Sakura commented, catching his attention. "You actually brought an umbrella."

"That's because I have to walk home." he countered.

"Yeah, well since I got a detention, so do I." she mumbled, squinting out into the rain. Gaara looked at her surprised, before looking back out.

"Where do you live?"

"Huh?" Sakura said, caught off guard by the question. "Uh... that way." She replied hesitantly, pointing a finger to the left.

"So do I. I'll walk you home." _'What the heck am I saying?'_

"Um, sure." Sakura answered. Gaara popped open the umbrella, and they both got under it, Gaara holding it since he was taller.

The walk to Sakura's house seemed very long, and was ever so very awkward.

_'Why did I do this again?' _Gaara wondered. _'I could have just said "Well, see ya'!" and left.'_

"This is good." Sakura spoke out, stopping at the beginning of the trees the surrounded the house.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, the trees will block the rain." she said. Gaara nodded.

"Well, then, see you Monday."

"Yeah, see you. thanks for walking me home." Gaara watched as she turned around, running up the driveway lined by trees, her short pink hair flying behind her.

And then, he turned to go home, walking in the complete other direction then her house.

* * *

"Gaara, where have you been? Detention ended a while ago." Temari questioned when the red headed boy walked in the door. He shrugged.

"Out an' about." Gaara replied. "So," he continued before she could go on. "What did you guys do?"

"Well, we went out to the ramen shop." Temari's voice became annoyed. "But the Uchiha would NOT stop talking about that Sakura girl." Gaara perked up from his spot on the couch.

"What did he say?" Gaara inquired. His sister opened the fridge, peering inside.

"Oh, nothing. Just that he wanted to ask her out, and wouldn't give up on her, blah, blah, blah. Why?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all..."

* * *

"Sakura, you might have another mission today, so be ready." Tsunade warned. Sakura nodded as she headed out the front door, jumping on her beloved motorcycle.

_'Ah, no more walking. And it also isn't a rainy Monday.'_ She sighed as she turned a corner. _'But it's still a Monday.'_

Sakura was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of another vehicle next to her. She looked to see another rider with a helmet speeding next to her.

_'Oh, so you want a race, huh?'_ Sakura sped up a little. So did the other rider. She sped up a little more. So did the mystery person.

Soon they were racing towards the school, cutting corners, switching lanes and doing everything to get past each other. Sakura saw the school coming up and decided to do a little... trick, you could call it. Someone ever so conveniently left a plank leaned against their car, in the form of a ramp. She swerved to the left as the other student kept going straight. Sakura sped up more, and more, and soon, she was riding up the plank and then...

And then she was soaring through the air, scaring the living daylights out of the students that were hanging out in front of the school. She landed perfectly on the grass, swerving around and stopping it elegantly at the end of the sidewalk that was in front of the school. Some students had to scatter to avoid being hit by her, and the grass was ripped up, showing the dirt where she had turned the wheel, along with some flowers. The other rider came up to a front space of the small parking lot a second later.

"Ha!" Sakura yelled, ripping off her helmet. "I won!" she jumped off the motorcycle, turning to the loser of the race. "I-"

Sakura cut herself off with a small yelp of surprise when one of her pressure points was pushed, immobilizing her. She glared up at the blonde haired principal from her frozen place on the ground.

"Sakura Haruno. _What_ do you think you're doing?"

"He started it!" Sakura defended. Tsunade looked at her before sighing, throwing the pink haired girl up over her shoulder like a sack full of potatoes. Sakura glared at the back of her head.

"Darn it, Tsunade, if I had use of my arms and legs, you'd be begging for mercy, I say! BEGGING FOR MERCY!" Tsunade slammed the door closed to the school after Sakura's final yell.

And outside, the school watched, terror-stricken, at how deadly their principle really was.

* * *

Sakura glared out the window. Now, she had to do 200 sit-ups/one finger push-ups, defeat 100 wood dummies in less than ten minutes, kunai target practice for two hours, chakra concentration for one hour, and extra missions for the next couple days.

And clean the kitchen.

Tsunade was harsh.

So what if the grass got messed up, and the flowers destroyed? So what if that car that she used as a ramp was slightly damaged, and the students had been terrified? So what if-

"Haruno!" Sakura jumped at the sound of her teacher's voice, loud over her iPod. She clicked the pause button and looked up to see everyone watching her.

"...Yes?" Sakura answered. Asuma stuck out his hand. She just stared at it.

"Give me the iPod." Sakura pouted up at him, slowing reaching for the button to un-pause it.

"I'll tell Principal Tsunade."

"Dang." Sakura muttered, ripping the buds from her ears and dropping the device into his hand. He walked back to the front of the class, slipping it into one of the drawers of his desk.

"Now, as I was saying." Asuma started back up. "We will be working on a group project this week with about four to five people per group." Everyone turned around and began chatting excitedly about who to be with.

"And I'll be picking the groups." The whole class moaned as he began assigning them. You with you, you with them, you move over there instead... Sakura watched with bored eyes until she was the only one left that needed a group. Her teacher's eyes scanned the room and its separated groups.

"Let's see... which group would you dislike to be in the most..." Sakura stared at the teacher in disbelief. _'Man, this guy really has it out for me!'_

"Oh! How about-" Asuma was cut off by a knock on the door. He opened it, to reveal another teacher.

"Have you forgotten about your new student? The one who was transferring classes?" the lady questioned. Her hair was back in a tight, neat bun and she glared at him sharply over a pair of glasses that were resting on her nose.

"Oh, no, not at all!" _'He totally forgot.' _"Go ahead and bring him in! We were just assigning groups." The lady nodded and stepped aside, and a boy with long, familiar blonde hair walk in. His eyes widened as he saw Sakura.

"YOU!" Deidara exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at her. All was silent as she stared back at him...

"Hahahaha!" Sakura started to crack up laughing as he fumed.

"It's not even there anymore!" he defended, pointing to his eye now. "My black eye's gone, un!"

"But I can still picture it when I look at your face!" Sakura continued to laugh.

Asuma sighed. "Whatever. Deidara, Sakura, you two will be in Gaara and Sasuke's group." the blonde gaped as he was assigned with the pink haired teen. The two walked over to Gaara and Sasuke. Sakura stifled her laugh behind her hand.

"Okay, then, now you will need to meet up with your group outside of school, to work on this project, since we don't have enough time in class. For it, you will have to..."

* * *

_'How annoying.' _Gaara thought as he met up with the gang after school. In about an hour he would have to meet his class group to talk about what to do for their project at a nearby ice cream place.

"Why so down, Gaara?" Naruto questioned as they walked out of the school.

"School." the red head grumbled.

"Ah. The project." Naruto said in understanding. "You're stuck with Teme and that weird Sakura girl, though I think you two kind of get along. Oh! And that Derdara guy or whatever his name is."

"Deidara. And he's even more annoying. He was trying to punch Sakura the other day, too." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, so you call her Sakura, eh? Everyone's always Uchiha, or Hyuuga, or Nara, and even Yamanaka! But she's _Sa~ku~ra_!" Naruto sung out the name. A mischievous grin formed on the loud blonde's face. He ran up to everyone else up ahead.

"Hey, guys! Guess what? Gaara has a crush on Sakura!"

_'Naruto, you loud-mouthed idiot...'_

* * *

"Sakura's still not here." Sasuke stated. Gaara looked at the clock. It read 4:27. They were supposed to meet at four o' clock.

"Good. Let's start and see if I can leave before she gets here, un." Deidara grumbled.

"How mean." they turned around in startled surprise at the voice. A pink haired girl was standing behind them, pouting her lip.

"I feel as though I'm not wanted here." she said in mock sadness, placing a hand over her heart and sniffling.

"Good, 'cus you're not." Deidara grumbled.

"Shut up." Gaara growled. He was getting fed up with the blond who kept being so rude. Especially to Sakura.

Gaara watched as the rosette took the empty seat between him and Sasuke.

"Let's get started on the project then." Gaara said. Sakura looked up in surprise.

"We have a project?"

o.O.0.O.o

There's another. Yep. DeiSaku next! Read the next chapter and find the DeiSaku-ness…


	5. Chapter 5

EVIF RETPAHC

"So this is the list of books?" Sakura questioned as she took a bite of her ice cream. The three of them had scammed- er, um, I mean _asked nicely_ if Sasuke would pay for it all, since he's rich. He obliged after some puppy-dog eyes and some threats. Who knew that Gaara and Deidara's eyes could look so sad?

"Yeah, we're supposed to pick one of the books, read it, discuss and answer these questions," Gaara held up a packet of questions. "And then we have to do a presentation on it."

"Ah." Sakura answered, scanning down the list of books. She mentally sighed noticing that she had read most of them.

"...Let's do this one." the pink haired girl suggested, pointing to one of the book titles. Sasuke peered over.

"Why that one? Isn't it, like, 700 pages?"

"Yes, but I've already read it, so..." she picked up the packet, scanning the contents. "So we can already fill out most of these questions." she smiled.

"So... take the easy way out?" Sasuke questioned. Sakura nodded as she took another bite of her ice cream.

"Yep. That's what I've been doing all year. Oh! I think I have two copies of the book, so I can loan one out." she offered.

"I'm rich, so I'll just buy my own." Sasuke muttered. He took another sip of his _water_. They were at an _ice cream place_.

_'Crazy boy.'_ Sakura thought in her head.

"There's no way I'm gonna borrow anything from _you_, un." Deidara sneered, narrowing his eyes. Sakura rolled hers before turning the emerald orbs to Gaara.

"I guess I'll take it." the red head said. Sakura smiled.

"Let's begin writing then-" Sakura suddenly stopped, eyes wide, and dove under the table, surprising the boys who now had a teenage girl sitting down at their feet.

"Uh, Sakura...?" Gaara called, looking under. She shushed him.

"Shh! Kakashi's here, I can't let him see me!" she sat silently under the table, waiting for the man to walk away. Unfortunately, he walked closer to address the group of boys. Sakura hid her chakra.

"Hello, boys. Have you happened to see Sakura Haruno? The principle wanted to see her; she has to clean desks." Kakashi explained.

_'Agh!' _Sakura thought silently. _'That's code for 'Tsunade wants Sakura to go train'. But I'm tired!'_ she mentally whined.

"Sorry, Kakashi, we haven't seen her." Gaara's voice sounded from above her. She smiled.

"We've just been working on our project." Sasuke explained. Deidara remained silent.

"Okay, then. Goodbye, boys." Sakura waited as he walked off.

"You can come out now." Sasuke said. The pink haired girl popped up into her seat, staring at Deidara with an eyebrow raised. The blonde ignored it.

"Why don't we stop for now, then come back tomorrow with the books?" Sasuke suggested. They all nodded and packed up their stuff. They waved goodbye and all set off in different directions. Except for Sakura and Deidara. Sakura continued to stare at him with one pink eyebrow raised.

"What, un?" he snapped, stopping. He closed his eyes, trying to calm his quick temper. Suddenly a warm hand slid onto his forehead.

"Do you have a fever?" Sakura questioned. He opened his eyes to see that her face was so close, only inches away. He flushed a deep red as she remained oblivious.

"N-no!" he managed to stutter out, pushing her hand away. It looked even more pale next to his tan skin. She looked at him as they continued walking.

"Have you been hallucinating?"

"No."

"Headaches?"

"No."

"Blurriness?"

"No!"

"Are you on any medications-"

"What do you want already?" Deidara yelled. People began to stare while Sakura just put her hands up innocently.

"Hey, calm down. I'm just trying to figure out why you didn't sell me out to Kakashi." the girl said. Deidara shrugged as they continued to walk.

"Well, I just..." he trailed off, obviously not knowing why. Sakura flipped around to face him walking backwards about a foot ahead of him.

"You just...?" she urged him on, skillfully dodging the customers as she continued backwards.

"I don't know! I just felt like it, un!" he snapped... again.

_'Well,' _Sakura thought, _'Someone's snappy today.'_

"Why did you even move to our class anyways?" Sakura questioned. Deidara glanced at her big emerald eyes that were staring at him expectantly. He mumbled something incoherent. "What's that? I couldn't hear you."

"I said I got kicked out for hitting too many kids! They thought that if I got put in a different class, it would help, and now I'm also going to see our school consoler; Miss Sunshine!" he explained. He looked at the pink haired girl again as a beautiful laughed filled the air.

"You have to go see Miss _Sunshine_? Is that even her real name?" Sakura laughed. A small smile began to fill Deidara's face as he snickered.

"Yeah. That's her real name. But here's the catch; she's really down and gray and depressed all the time. She makes you feel like there's no point to the world." Sakura began cracking up laughing, and so did Deidara. They didn't know why they were laughing so hard, but they were. They finally calmed down after a minute.

"Why... were we... laughing so much?" Sakura asked between breaths. She had somehow managed to walk backwards throughout almost the entire mall.

"I don't know... stress build up?" Deidara answered as they regained their breath. Sakura laughed.

"Yeah, maybe-" she was cut off as a drink was spilled all over her, soaking her hair and her clothes. She turned around to see the man she bumped into, his large ice water empty on the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry, I-"

"You little brat! Watch where you're going!" he yelled. He was a large man that towered at least two feet above her and seemed fairly strong.

Sakura tried to keep her temper in check. "Well, I was just trying to apologize, in case you didn't notice."

"Please, you don't mean it! You mindless idiots just run around doing whatever you want. I 'oughta take you back home and wedge you under my gutter to hold it up! You don't take responsibility to apologize for stuff. You're just like all the other bratty girls; you're just a whor-"

A tan fist suddenly connected with the man's face, which knocked him back, causing him to stumble and fall into some scenery stuff, crushing it. A crack had been heard signaling a broken nose. Blood flowed over the hand that covered his face. Deidara grabbed Sakura's hand, pulling her towards the door as people began to gather.

"Run!" he shouted as they sprinted to the door. He could see the green vests of the security guards.

They finally reached the doors and ran out into the crisp, night air. Deidara quickly lead her to his motorcycle, jumping on while she swung on behind him, wrapping her arms around him. _'Man, I wanted to drive. At least I got dropped off, so my motorcycle isn't still here.' _He sped off into the night as the security guards began to come out of the store.

"Which house is closer?" Deidara shouted over the wind. The guards didn't seem to be following them, but they probably would send at least a few out after the two. He glanced back when he got no answer to see Sakura having a coughing fit. She was still soaked and in a short sleeve, so the cold wind didn't help as they zoomed away. Deidara slowed down, pulling into the parking lot of a small store. He turned around and looked at her as she let go of him.

"Where's your house, un?" he asked again. She looked up, thinking for a quick second.

"I live way over in the forest in West-" she began coughing again, "in West Konoha." She finished.

"I could probably get you there before-" he stopped, eyes wide before cursing.

"What," Sakura coughed again, "is it?" _'Darn immune system. It's so weak.' _She silently complained. Deidara cursed again, pointing to the flashing lights of a car that said on the side: _Konoha Security_. It was speeding through the streets, yet slowly enough to be able to spot those two trouble some teens. Especially the one with pink hair; very easy to find.

Deidara pulled off his black sweatshirt that read _Art is a bang!_ in large white letters, throwing it back to the passenger of his motorcycle. She caught it, slipping it on thankfully with the hood up to hide her hair, before wrapping her arms back around him as he sped off again.

"I guess to my house then," he mumbled, driving off.

* * *

Deidara pulled into the driveway of his small house. It was tiny and a bit run-down, the windows dark.

"Hey, wake up." Deidara said, poking the pink haired girl that was sleeping. He had felt her head lay against his back sometime on the way home. She raised her head drearily, taking in her surroundings. "You're at my house, un." He said, answering her unsaid question. Sakura nodded, releasing her grip on him and following him inside. He flipped some lights on.

"How... quaint?" Sakura complimented, plopping down on the small couch. Deidara rolled his eyes, walking into the small kitchen that was attached to the living room where Sakura sat. He began looking for some dinner when he heard coughing. He glanced to her to see a pink head hunched over, seemingly hacking her guts out. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Are you okay? You sound like you're dying."

"Thanks," Sakura muttered sarcastically, "but in any case, I don't think going out in the cold night, and riding full speed on a motorcycle while soaked with ice water is a good idea."

"... I can loan you some clothes." Deidara stated after a moment of thought. Sakura perked up in surprise.

"Okay, now I think _you're_ the one with the fever. Or maybe it's just making me delusional." The pinkette replied she began waving her arms around the room to make sure that the furniture was real. A groan of annoyance was heard from the other, and she began to feel sorry.

"But... sure." She answered. _'He was only trying to be nice. Can't blame him for that.'_

"Okay, then. I'll be right back." She heard his footsteps pad farther away.

"Here. The bathroom's right there." He said as he returned. She took the clothes he was handing to her and walked through the door he had pointed to.

After closing the door, she inspected the clothes the blonde had given her. A pair of regular black basketball shorts, a simple green t-shirt that seemed like it was too small for him, and then she still had the _Art is a bang!_ sweatshirt. The shirt fit okay, but the shorts were huge! Luckily, she could tighten the waist so they wouldn't fall down. She slipped the sweatshirt back on.

"Goodnight." She said, popping back into the living room on flopping down onto the couch. Deidara growled.

"Hey, you can't stay here tonight! You're parents are probably worried sick right now!" he argued. Sakura smiled a hidden, sad smile into the couch.

"My parents aren't even home." She answered, voice partially muffled by the cushions of his brown couch. _'Really, that's not a lie. They aren't home; they just never will be.'_

"... Fine. At least you're not in my bed." He agreed. Sakura suddenly sat up.

"You're right!" she leapt up, skipping down the hallway to his room.

"Hey, wait-!" But she had already opened the door and stepped inside.

"Wow..." Sakura whispered, looking around his room. It was painted a bright orange-red, and a lamp shining over his desk added a glow to it, creating a sunset color. The desk itself was polished oak, slightly angled upwards for drawing or painting, scattered with sketchbooks, pencils, paints, and more. The walls had many pictures too on them, of scenes, people, animals, everything. Another table held clay and pottery work materials and tools. His bed sat next to a small dresser with black sheets. A chair with wheels sat at the desk, and Sakura spotted a drawer full of colored pencils and pens. She smiled.

"Hey, Sakura-" Deidara reached the room, ready to yell at her, only to stop as he watched her stare around his room in fascination. She seemed so fascinated by everything, and then her eye caught his drawer full of his special colored pencils and drawing pens. She looked up at him, eyes sparkling.

"Can I draw something with those?"

"Um... sure?"

Deidara watched as she pulled out a blank piece of paper and began to draw designs. A design of a different desk, his room rearranged, colors changed, and then it was him. She was drawing him, designing an outfit that seemed to go with his motorcycle. Except… he didn't have a face.

"What, can't you draw faces, un?" Deidara joked. Everything else was perfect; the lines, the anatomy, the colors, the shading…

Sakura looked down so he couldn't see her eyes. "No…"

"What?" Deidara said in surprise. "Why not?"

Sakura shrugged. "I'm just a designer. I make outfits and create stuff, but I can't draw faces. Or animals. Or nature."

Deidara glanced from her to the clock. It was almost seven o' clock. Maybe he could… no. That was too nice. Why should he?

"Yeah, whatever. Let's get some dinner." He said, walking back out of the room.

Sakura followed him into the kitchen, watching him as he pulled out pancake batter and a griddle. _'Mmm, breakfast for dinner!'_

"So your parents aren't home?" Deidara asked again as he plugged in the griddle.

"Nope." Sakura replied.

"When will they be back?"

Sakura smiled. "No time soon." Something popped in her head as he began to mix the batter. "What about your parents?"

Deidara froze. He stopped mixing and set the bowl down, "They're… not here." He answered carefully. But Sakura knew better.

"Are they… gone-gone?" she asked. Deidara shook his head. So he wasn't going through the same thing as her.

"No."

Sakura waited for the explanation, but none came. She could help him with this, if he could just…

"Can you tell me about?"

Deidara finally looked up. She saw sorrow in his eyes, and he saw understanding in hers. He felt as though her gaze was slowly lowering the drawbridge inside him.

"I was only eight…"

o.O.0.O.o

There it is! I told you the DeiSaku was coming up! Next chapter is all about Deidara's life story, but don't worry, it's not too long… Wow, I'm all caught up now, everyone will have to just wait for chapters… man, I hate that…

Gaara, where are you~? T.T


	6. Chapter 6

XIS RETPAHC

"Mom, where are you going?" an innocent eight year old Deidara asked. The older blonde woman paused, the wheels of her suitcase stopping their squeaking.

"I'm leaving, sweetie. You'll stay with your father from now on, I afraid."

"Mom? Mom!" But she was already gone, driving off as his father closed the door.

"Don't worry." Deidara's father said. "It's okay."

* * *

"Have you made your lunch yet?"

"Yeah." Deidara, at the age of ten years old, mumbled, shouldering his backpack on. It was time for school.

"Okay, then. I won't be home 'til about seven tonight, but I bought some more ramen, or there's also some mac' n cheese or leftover spaghetti."

"Okay, Dad, see you tonight." Deidara said as he walked out the door. After waiting at the bottom of the driveway for a minute, the bus came up, the doors sliding open with a hiss.

"Morning, Deidara." The elderly lady driving greeted with a small smile.

He nodded in return before walking towards the middle of the bus. He would have liked to go all the way back, but that's where the fifth and sixth graders were. Fourth graders weren't allowed to sit in the back.

After sitting by himself for a while, they arrived at school. Everyone scrambled off the bus with Deidara following slowly behind. Their bus was late, and Deidara barely slipped into class on time.

It was uneventful.

Half the day passed by with a few notes, some worksheets, and a quiz. But most of it was spent staring out the window on Deidara's part. Thinking of when his mom and dad were always together and happy when he got home, during dinner, and when he went to bed. But now he was left debating whether to have cheesy noodles or cold noodles with tomato sauce. Wondering if tonight, his dad will call again, saying he'll be gone another hour, so "Brush your teeth and go to bed. Goodnight, Dei.".

The lunch bell rang and Deidara heading down to the cafeteria with everyone else. He went to sit down at the far end of his homeroom's table to eat his sack lunch, when he saw _her_.

She had curly brown hair that bounced with every step and clear blue eyes. She was wearing a purple t-shirt that had blue flowers on it with some jeans and sparkly purple sneakers that were the envy of every girl in class. Her name was Asorya, and she was the very subject of Deidara's crush.

Not that he could even talk to her or anything. Because after all, he was just, well…

"Hey, did your _mom_ make your lunch, Momma-less?"

He was just a boy with no mother.

"Oh, but wait, she couldn't have! 'Cuz she's not here anymore! Well, I'm going to go read the note on my napkin that _my_ mom wrote for me. About how she loves me and will see me when I get home."

And so came forth Deidara's greatest enemy and annoyance, Honduro. A sporty boy with short, spiky hair the color of sand, and tan skin framing his greenish-blue eyes. He was the fastest kid in the whole fourth grade, not to mention the coolest. And he took pride in the fact that his mother helped out with everything, PTA meeting, class parties, making copies for the teacher, and everything.

Laughter from other classmates reached Deidara's ears, but he ignored everyone. Lunch would be over soon, and then for recess, maybe he could go to the art room and work on his clay project…

It was official. He would tell Asorya he liked her at the Valentines Party.

* * *

Deidara smiled at that thought as he stayed inside for recess, sketching out a picture of his dad and his mom he had found at home. I would be so great if only this were real, along with his eleven-year old self in their arms. Happiness…

The Valentines Party was great. A few weeks had passed, and all the shortened classes had just ended, and the party started. Now all he had to do was wait until it was time to put all the cards into everyone's boxes.

Games were played, food was ate, and soon it was time. Deidara speeded through everyone else's boxes, stuffing the cards in with less than no care. Deidara looked around for Asorya. He spotted her off to the side with Honduro. He began to approach them.

"I really like you, Asorya."

Oh, no.

Oh no, no, no, no, no!

The words were exactly what he wanted to say, except…

They didn't come from his mouth.

They came from Honduro's.

"Really?" Asorya blushed. " I like you, too." She glanced at the teacher before sneaking Honduro a kiss on the cheek. They smiled at each other. After that, it started.

Right after Deidara promptly punching Mr. Perfectly-Lovable in the face while nursing a hurting heart.

* * *

"This can _not_ continue!"

Deidara turned his head farther away, glaring out the window. "Whatever, un."

"No, it's not "_Whatever_"! This is not correct behavior for a twelve year old boy, un!" Deidara's father continued. "Punching, hitting, arguing with your teachers, all of it! You've just been suspended for the third time! One more and you get expelled!"

"…whatever." Deidara mumbled.

"That's it!" he roared. "You stay in this room for the rest of the night! No dinner, no television, no nothing, un! And none of your "_art_"!" He stormed out of the room, slamming the door closed.

Deidara flopped back onto his blue bed, glaring at the ceiling with more intensity.

'_Mom approved of my art.'_

The glare melted and Deidara turned on his side, curling up. His life was nothing more than the sharp bits and pieces of the beautiful broken vase. His dad had to take another job, worked more, and resulted in more stress and a shorting temper.

Not to mention no time for a son.

Deidara's father wasn't very much of a father anymore. Because of that, Deidara began to demote his life to art. Extra classes, after school lessons by that elderly lady down the street, and hours up in his room. He liked to draw. He liked to paint. Pastels were fun.

But he loved clay.

Not really just _any_ clay, his clay. Regular clay was fine, but after a few hours and a couple accidents, he created it. The perfect recipe; explosion clay. Not a _real_ explosion, after all, he was only twelve. I was sort of like how a baking soda volcano reacts. Explosion clay. Perfect.

But not as perfect as that new expensive clay that the principle ordered. So that the students could make _plates_ for their _moms_. He would get that clay. He would.

* * *

"It's done."

Deidara walked into his room. After the police let him out (after breaking into the school to steal the clay) Deidara walked home to see packed bags sitting on his bed, along with his father.

"You'll be living with your grandmother, from now on. I can't take care of both of us right now. I've arranged for her to pick you up, so you need to double-check that I got all your stuff. I-"

"So you're getting rid of me? Just like Mom?" Deidara's voice was cold. He was mad. He was tired. It was all stressing him out.

"Don't talk to me like that." His father warned.

"Like what? Huh? Like you used to talk to Mom?" Deidara was yelling now.

"Your mother and I had our differences! We couldn't agree on some matters, and no matter how I felt about her it was best-"

"You never cared about her! You've never really cared about me! I'm only here because I'm your son, that's it!"

"Don't say such things! I'm your father and I care about you, so-"

"So you leave me alone? Have me cook my own dinner? Have me come home and go to sleep in an empty house?" Deidara hollered, tears streaming down his face. A beeping sounded outside. Grandma was here.

"Deidara. You are my son, and I love you. It's just not an easy time right now, and it doesn't help that you're getting in trouble all the time!"

It was silent before his son answered. Deidara let out a pent up breath. "I'm sorry…"

Deidara walked over and picked up his bags before turning around and leaving. He walked downstairs and out the door, into Grandma's car. His father stood in the door as the car slowly started up. Deidara was miserable. But his dad was still his dad. As the car was just pulling away and going down the road, Deidara felt his eyes water as he rolled the window down and stuck his head out.

"I love you, too, Dad!"

And he never saw him again.

o.O.0.O.o

Aww, poor Deidara! His life was sad! I figured I'll do chapters like this throughout the story when the right time comes, for Sakura, Gaara, and maybe even Sasuke too. I may not update for a while though, I have to think about what will happen next…


	7. Chapter 7

NEVES RETPAHC

Deidara looked over at Sakura. She was sitting on the couch silently, and all he could see was the back of her pink head. Turning back around, he flipped the last pancake off the griddle and poured two glasses of orange juice, setting her plate and glass on the other side of the island near the stool.

"Hey, Bubblegum Hair, you better eat these before they get cold." Deidara called.

Sakura turned around and walked up to the counter, sitting on the stool and pouring syrup in a puddle on the side to dip her pancakes in. "Well, maybe I'll just leave these here to get cold, then." She folded her hands onto her lap.

"Then I'll kick you out of my house."

Sakura smirked. "Or maybe I'll kick _you_ out."

"I'd like to see you try."

And right after finishing their brinner (breakfast for dinner) Deidara found himself sitting on his butt outside with the door locked behind him.

_Dang it._

* * *

After about an hour, Deidara had tried the door again, but this time it was actually unlocked, and he opened the door to see Sakura snuggled up on the couch. Rolling his eyes, Deidara went and grabbed a blanket before draping it over her. He was tired and just didn't want her waking him up asking where a blanket was just because she was cold.

Deidara woke up to an empty house. The blanket was folded on the couch and when he walked into the kitchen, Deidara found breakfast sitting on the counter. A plate with two pancake eyes, a syrup nose, and a bacon smile. A note scribbled next to the plate read '_Thanks_'.

_What, does she think I'm a three year old kid?_

And yet he couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Sakura was speeding down a dirt road on her motorcycle, ready to kill- or, um confront a terrible man who was selling maps, guard rotation, et cetera, of Konoha to enemies. She was out near the edge of West Konoha, an ANBU tracking device that was built in to her motorcycle leading the way. The flashing red dot wasn't far, and soon Sakura was cutting off the engine to make a quiet, surprise entrance. There was an old run-down warehouse ahead. Sakura hid her motorcycle, making sure, though, that it was in position so she could jump on and speed away.

Sakura crept up to the warehouse, scaling the wall quickly with the use of her chakra. She lept through a broken window onto the long, wide beams inside. Boxes and machines were piled high, conveyor belts and hooks for moving items placed in the large room. Sakura focused, her ears trying to find any source of noise. There, a TV.

Sakura jumped from the beam, landing on another, another, and another, until she was close enough to land on the boxes below. She scaled over the tops of the cardboard, reaching a heavy white door that was cracked open. Bluish light flashed from inside, and someone laughed. Sakura peeked around the edge and saw a pudgy man in an old suit chuckling at the people on the screen. His hand crashed into a bag of chips, pulling out a slightly crushed handful. An easy kill.

His back was turned away from her, and Sakura was able to slip inside, crouching behind his chair, just as some women on the TV began suggesting that everyone should use some kind of detergent. She raised her head slightly, pulling out a kunai.

In a flash, it was near his neck. The man began sweating as it glared at him.

"Who are you?" he asked, quivering.

"You've betrayed Konoha and endangered the lives of the citizens who live here." Sakura growled out, masking her voice with a deeper tone.

"You can't prove anything." The man countered.

Sakura promptly answered by throwing another kunai that promptly pressed (and ruined) the _play_ button on the answering machine.

"_Hey, MK, where've you been?"_ A voice grinded out of the machine._ "I got those maps for you, and that other guy is ready to meet you. He just says that you need to meet him outside the border. You need to get moving again, the ANBU are catching onto you, I think."_

The man gulped visibly. The TV turned black as it changed commercials, and for just a second he saw pink and jade behind a red and white mask.

Then, everything went black.

* * *

He had screamed.

Sakura had meant to make a silent kill because she knew there were other people in the warehouse. But, of course, he had to scream. The footsteps were already pounding after her, and Sakura was running towards the exit. Too late, though, because they turned the corner and caught her, yelling to others. A few split around to try and cut her off, but they were soon disposed of with a swift kick in the head, along with some bloody noses.

Sakura ran out through the door, racing towards where her getaway was parked. In one fluid motion she was speeding off, down the dirt road with a brown dirt cloud waving goodbye.

* * *

"Anything good?" Tsunade asked as Sakura walked in.

"No, nothing. He's dead, blah, blah, and I didn't even get any action." Sakura mumbled as she threw off her gear.

"Well, that's good to know. By the way, the dishwasher needs unloaded."

Of course.

Sakura quickly finished the chore before running to her room and flopping on the orange and white bed. Chores, school, and assassinations. Could life be any more tiresome?

_Well, I could be a hobo._

Sakura was suddenly sidetracked as a constant twittering began outside her window. A golden canary and a red cardinal were fighting over a little, pink flower. They were holding it in their beaks and tugged it back and forth. Suddenly, a black bird swooped in, and they both dropped the flower and flew away just as the intruder caught it.

_Strange. _Sakura thought, rolling back over, desperately wishing that it was night and she could just sleep.

* * *

School came too fast. Sakura was sitting, once again, in a small classroom stuffed with sweaty kids, learning stuff she already knew. In the next class, which would be in about thirty seconds, she would have to give Gaara that book for school.

The bell rang and Sakura jumped up, going to her locker and exchanging her books. The classroom seemed so far away, and her sleeping pattern had been off, and she was ready to sleep. And tell someone off. Sadly, though, everyone seemed to notice her bad mood, so everyone stayed away.

"Anger issues?" Gaara smirked as he came up beside her. "Or maybe nightmares about Sasuke."

Sakura laughed. "Maybe one, maybe none, and maybe both."

"Whatever. Do you have the… um, papery-thing?"

"No." Sakura laughed. "But I do have the book."

Gaara snatched it from her. "You knew what I meant."

"Aw, relax, Ricky."

"Ricky?"

"Yeah, Ricky the Raccoon! You're just like him!"

* * *

Gaara scowled at her as he walked into the classroom. He was still arguing with her when he noticed Deidara glaring at the two. After leaving with a 'Whatever, Miss Pansy.' He walked over and glared back.

"You want another black eye or something?" Gaara growled.

"No. I'm just wondering when you got so close to Pinky." Deidara answered.

"And why does that matter to you?"

"No reason."

Gaara stared at him before turning around and going to a seat towards a back. Class soon started as usual, before Sakura's iPod was, once again, taken away, and Naruto was sent into the hall to 'quiet down'. N-O-R-M-A-L day. Gaara just wished that something would happen. He looked out the window as the teacher's voice droned on. Something was out there. A black dot was hurtling towards the very classroom window where they all sat.

Gaara blinked.

It was gone.

_Oh, well._ Gaara thought._ Probably just a bird._

* * *

Gaara saw it again. He was sitting right at the window, and it didn't go away this time, not like last period. He looked closer, trying to spot out the flapping wings, or a pointed beak. He saw none. It was pointed, but it gleamed with the shine of metal in the sun.

"What… is that?"

Gaara looked over to see everyone else standing up and looking out the window. The teacher even stopped with a confused look on his face. Everyone seemed curious, except Sakura. She looked up with eyes wide. She ripped the buds out of her ears and sprang from her seat, just as it reached the window.

Everything exploded in a flash.

An explosion came from the window, and Gaara fell back, protecting his face with his arms. Glass from the window flew in every direction, yells of pain sounding out from the students. Men dressed in what definitely wasn't the latest fashion jumped in, immobilizing some of the students. More poured in on the other side of the room, and they knocked Sakura out as she was trying to help the other students. One slung her over his shoulder and jumped out the door.

"Sakura!" Gaara exclaimed, racing after her. As he reached the door, he found himself stuck in the frame with two others.

"What are you doing here?" Gaara growled.

"I'm trying to go help a girl in need." Sasuke said, pushing through.

"I-I'm just following those guys… because… they took my wallet." Deidara said, giving out his lame excuse.

Gaara was already gone, though. He was running towards where he had first seen them turn. He began running full speed, but soon sighed as there was footsteps behind him. They were following him.

"Hurry up!" One of the ninjas shouted to the other.

But Gaara was behind them, punching the one who had talked in the side of his face. Sasuke came up behind another, while Deidara tackled a guy.

"What the heck? High school students?"

Gaara stared at them, perplexed, as the other two also stopped in confusion. Weren't these guys just some high school gang or something?

Then they pulled out swords, knives, and other sharp, _sharp_ objects.

The three boys' eyes widened as the one with Sakura escaped, the others' forming a barricade.

"Watch out!" Sasuke shouted as the enemies came at them.

Seventeen against three wasn't very fair.

Gaara and Deidara had both been in quite a few fights (including against each other) so they could handle themselves, somewhat. Meanwhile, all Sasuke had was the expensive martial arts and self-defense classes that his father had paid for.

They had only defeated about one each, and were already tired out. Sasuke was sweating with gashes on his arms where he had tried to block attacks, which didn't work too well against _kunais_ as they called them. Deidara had, once again, a black eye, and dreaded what Sakura would say if they rescued her. He had been so frustrated when the fast little squirt he was fighting would pop up and out, all around him.

Gaara was still fighting, but his breathing was labored and sweat rolled down his forehead. There was a bloody gash in his side that burned like heck, and his movements were slow, causing more injuries. All Gaara saw in the eyes of his attacker was the want to kill him, and he felt that now, as he could practically collapse, Sasuke was limping last place in a snail race, and Deidara was lying on the ground, he could probably die.

_Why am I even here again?_

Gaara felt so weary, his hands covered in blood, his own blood. It seemed like he had been cut and stabbed all over, and his vision was flashing on and off, on and off.

The enemy _ninja_, or whatever, saw Gaara and how weak he was. He raised his sword, ready to bring it down on the hopeless victim. He let it drop.

Gaara closed his eyes.

_Sakura, right?_

"SHANNARO! OH YEAH!"

When Gaara opened his eyes, someone had punched his assaulter all the way over and through the wall.

o.O.0.O.o

Boo-yah! Who wrote the next chapter? I did! Woot-woot!

Yep.

REVIEW, PLEASE~!


	8. Chapter 8

HTGIE RETPAHC

Gaara's savior was dressed in black, with a hood pulled up and tightened around a strange red and white mask that looked like a tiger. He could see sparkling green eyes that glowed with power. Gaara couldn't help but feel slightly scared.

In only a few seconds, she had destroyed almost every single ninja. On the last one, she punched him so hard that Gaara heard a loud _crack_ that couldn't be good. Bodies were strewn across the floor, along with some splattered blood that dripped down the walls.

Gaara suddenly had an involuntary flashback. His father was towering over him, and the blood was dripping down the walls…

"Who are you?" Gaara whispered. The mystery girl turned around, and looked panicked before motioning with her hands.

"What the heck is that?" Deidara growled, pushing himself up. The girl snickered at his black eye.

"It's sign language." Sasuke explained. "I took some classes on it. She says… _I mean no harm, well, except to these guys, but not to you. I can't tell you who I am. Go back and tell your classmates that a gang attacked the school._"

"Where's Sakura?" Gaara asked in a moment of panic, though he didn't show it.

"_Don't worry, she's safe. She should be waking up soon and then be back to school tomorrow._" Sasuke translated.

Then, the girl jumped through the broken window, disappearing.

* * *

Sakura raced low over the rooftops on her way back home, keeping low and in the shadows. When she got to the trees that surrounded her house, Sakura jumped down and walked up the driveway.

"I'm home!" Sakura called, opening the door.

Tsunade was sitting cross-legged on the couch, reading a magazine. "Good to know. You're home early, something happen?"

"Yeah, well," Sakura peered into the fridge, "there was a test, a quiz, oh, and some ninja's attacked the school."

Tsunade jumped up. "What? Were they Orochimaru's goons?"

"I think so. I'm pretty sure that I saw some snake tattoos on some of them."

Sakura's mentor cursed. "How could they slip past the defenses? I even switched and reinforced the guarding system!"

"Well, they have to be getting in somehow. I already slashed that one guy that was selling the maps and stuff." Sakura said, plopping down on the couch tiredly.

"You're right. I'll have to notify ANBU right away, and get a search started." Tsunade decided. "In the meantime, you should go out and start investigating."

"What?" Sakura exclaimed, propping herself up. "I'm not Sherlock Holmes!"

Her mentor turned on her.

"Okay, okay, going." Sakura mumbled, running upstairs to change into normal clothes.

She came back down in jeans and a red sweatshirt. Sakura went outside, running to the park to start looking around. She didn't go far before she spotted something.

"Oh, great, it's the Stalker again."

Gaara looked up at Sakura.

"Hey, don't blame me." He said. "I'm just sitting on a bench."

Sakura plopped down next to him. "Well, I'll sit here for an hour, then go back home." She leaned back, listening to the sounds of a guitarist playing farther away. They sat in silence for a moment.

"Are you okay?" Gaara asked.

Sakura looked up. "What? Can't I listen to music?"

"No, I mean, after those, those guys just kidnapped you at school." He said.

Sakura laughed. "Oh, that was just something from my old school." She lied. "A joke."

Gaara looked at her before resuming his position. A "joke" got everyone out of school for the rest of the day.

Sakura turned her head away, so he couldn't see her worry about what had went on. Even though she was tired, she should still look for evidence of Orochimaru. Sakura turned to tell Gaara that she had to leave, but was surprised to see him walking back to her.

"What-?" Sakura stopped as the guitarist changed tune, and recognized her one of her favorite songs. It was the same song she was listening to when they both had detention, that one time. Sakura smiled at him as he sat down, forgetting about leaving. Until a bird swooped into the tree across from her.

Sakura stood straight up, staring at the bird. Its black eyes were staring straight at her, and when it opened up its wings to fly away, it revealed a symbol of a snake curled around a sword.

It flew away.

Sakura ran after it.

"Hey, Sakura!" Gaara called after her. He jumped up too, chasing the running figure ahead of him. She was fast, though, and Gaara chased her all the way through town, way back past all the shops and houses, and into the forest. She seemed to be chasing a bird, so Gaara kept his eye on it, too.

The bird flew straight and fast, into a clearing, and then into a clump of trees, where it disappeared. Sakura froze in horror as Gaara stopped to catch his breath.

"Oh, no…" she whispered.

In front of her was one of the largest and most complicated genjutsu she had ever seen. She hadn't even sensed it until now, when she was two feet away.

"Sakura?"

Sakura turned at her name and saw Gaara staring at her. She glanced back at where the bird disappeared, and then began slowly walking away, her eye still on the woods.

"I, I've just heard some bad rumors about these woods," Sakura lied, again. "Not good things."

"Well, okay," Gaara said. "Let's go then."

The two walked back to town in silence, Gaara as usual, and Sakura deep in thought. They walked until they reached the park, where they split ways.

"See you tomorrow, Sakura," Gaara said, turning to leave. He turned back around to say something, but stopped with his mouth still half-open, for she was gone.

* * *

Deidara wandered around the school yard.

He had gone through the day without seeing Sakura (not that he cared) and was now bored, with no one to punch for laughing at his now star-shaped black eye. He was going around the court yard, which wrapped around the school. Sasori left him to play around in woodshop, still making those creepy puppets for his grandmother's puppet show business.

"What the heck?" Deidara muttered.

He squinted ahead at a tree. Once again, he saw a flash of pink, and a few leaves fell with a rustle. Deidara walked to the bottom of the tree, his head tilted back as he stared up.

"Pinky? What'cha doing up there?"

Sakura appeared, looked down at him, and disappeared with a scoff.

"Hey!" Deidara yelled indignantly. "I was talking to you!"

When she still didn't reply, Deidara turned around and marched back to the school. Everyone was hurrying to class, and Deidara trudged into his next one.

"Stupid Sakura," he mumbled.

"Sakura's here?"

Deidara turned around and scowled as he saw black spikes.

"Yeah, and she's up in a tree, and she's also a-"

"Eh-hmm."

Deidara looked up to see the subject of his sentence. Sakura glared at him while Gaara walked into the class room behind her. They both sat down in their group, pulling out their books. Mr. Asuma declared that he was giving them the whole period to work on their projects. Deidara's group sat in silence, the boys all glaring at each other.

"What happened to you guys?" Sakura asked before turning to Deidara. "Deidara, did you take Sasuke's nail polish?"

Deidara's chair moved just a little bit, as if he was going to spring at her. Sakura continued to laugh while Gaara smirked.

"Oh, that was a good," Sakura said.

"Shut up, Pinky," Deidara ordered.

Sakura glared at him before grabbing his worksheet, looking at the teacher who wasn't paying attention, and then tossing it into the air, where a few fluttered down into the home of Skittles', the class fish's, home.

Luckily for Deidara, Mr. Asuma had stepped out of the room. Unluckily for Deidara, he lunged at Sakura with a fist.

Sakura leaned out of the way, leaving him to flop onto the table. Deidara scrambled up, sending papers flying with their newly acquired footprints. He jumped off the table as Sakura stood up, ducking behind another desk. He ran into a desk, knocking it over. Deidara went to go after her, but stopped short as a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned around to surprisingly see Sakura behind him, holding his papers.

"Here," she said.

Deidara took the papers, and realized that they weren't his, but hers. Her name was scribbled out with his wrote next to it.

"Uh… thanks," Deidara said. He felt his face go red at the fact that the whole class was watching, so he turned and sat in his seat. Sakura came over and sat down, too, as everyone straightened the room back up. Deidara couldn't help but notice that the ones in her hands were soggy. Mr. Asuma walked in and sat at his desk, and everyone continued with their work.

"**Haruno to the main office, **_**now!**_**"**

To everyone's surprise, Sakura jumped up and raced out of the room in record time, almost like she cared about getting there. Her classmates stared after her, surprised that she went so quickly.

"That… was weird," Sasuke mumbled. Deidara and Gaara nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Tsunade!"

Sakura raced into the main office, flying past the front desk and into her mentor's office. She had smartly wore her uniform under her clothes, and was already fit for anything thrown at her.

"Sakura! We need you down in the medical center," Tsunade explained.

She strode to a plain wall with a single landscape painting of a boat in a river. She tapped different spots, sending her chakra into the wall. It glowed blue where her fingers touched, before falling away like a puzzle to reveal a metal elevator. Sakura stepped into it with her mentor, and the doors slid close right as it fell at increasing speeds. Sakura's hair began to rise, and their feet only stayed in place because of the chakra holding them. A red light scanned them, searching their DNA to see if they were allowed in.

There was a small bell sound as the elevator pulled to a halt. The doors opened again, and Sakura stepped out into one of the seventeen bases for the ANBU.

The lights were dim on the concrete walls of the underground bunk, and people were all over. Kids from all ages trained in different arts, some looking only five, others older than herself. Some teachers drilled their students, voices loud and commanding, and scientists worked on different techniques, potions, and medicines in labs. The researchers, well, researched, typing away at computers and studying maps. Some people were being shipped off to battle with straight faces, while some were being wheeled back from it in terrible conditions.

Some didn't come back at all.

"We're needed in ER 7," Tsunade said as she walked through everyone. They cleared a path in front of her when she came near.

"What's the emergency?" Sakura asked, already building the healing chakra into her hands.

"There was a scout patrol out along the southeast border, and they began to stray a little farther from their coordinates. The next thing we know, they're not replying. I sent a search team out, and they found the patrol in critical condition. Circled around them was a large, dead, snake."

Sakura stopped with her teacher in front of a metal door labeled ER above it and 7 on the actual door.

"They're pretty bad," Tsunade reminded. "I know you hate seeing teammates like this, but we need your chakra control. Six other medics have already passed out."

Sakura nodded, and the doors opened.

o.O.0.O.o

Okay, so something got messed up, because this chapter was supposed to be posted, because when I went to post nine I saw that I still needed eight. -.-'

So, lucky duckies, you get two chapters at once! (and that standard disclaimer still applies)

PLEASE REVIEW~!


	9. Chapter 9

ENIN RETPAHC

Six hours later, Sakura walked out.

She was bloody, sweaty, and tired. Bags were under her eyes, and it seemed a little colder for some reason, so she wrapped the white lab coat tighter around herself.

"Let's go, Sakura." Tsunade said as she walked out of the room, her appearance looking similar to Sakura's. But Tsunade was a woman, a powerful woman, who couldn't show weakness, so she stood strong.

'_I should be strong too.' _Sakura said to herself. She tried to stand straighter, but her vision swam. _'Maybe later.'_

Tsunade put her arm around her student's shoulders, guiding her to the exit of the base. They walked into the elevator, and the red light scanned their bodies, before sending them back up, slowly since the system noticed their fatigue and lack of chakra to hold on. The little bell rang, and Sakura stepped out into the main office of her school. It was now over, _had _been over, considering the sky was already darkening.

Tsunade walked to her office, slumping in the chair and opening a small drawer and pulling out a clear bag of what seemed to be dog treats. She popped on in her mouth (countering the last statement) before handing one to Sakura.

"Here," she said. "A soldier pill will make you feel better."

Sakura took it, popping it in her mouth. Her eyelids were already halfway over her eyes and pushing to gain the whole territory. Tsunade noticed.

"Well, we have two options," Tsunade stated. "We can either take the long drive home or we can stay the night here."

Sakura answered by already being asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Sakura woke up at the sound of voices. She was on the cot in the nurse's office, a curtain pulled around her, obscuring her from whoever else was there. Sakura listened again and recognized Gaara's voice.

"I'm telling you that it doesn't need peroxide," he said.

'_Oh,' _Sakura thought, thinking back to when she was younger. _'The stingy-stuff.'_

"Now listen here, son," the nurse, a personal friend of Tsunade, started. "Are_ you_ the nurse? No. Do you know what to do when someone gets a gash from their locker? No, you don't. You didn't go through countless books and classes to learn all kinds of stuff, so don't you mouth off at me, boy."

Sakura thought about just walking out, but realized that she still had on her ANBU uniform. After thinking about an excuse about her current attire, sakura realized something worse.

Gaara had seen her in that uniform.

He had seen those clothes, and the person in them saved his life.

So…

He could discover her secret.

In lack of professionalism and a better word, Sakura panicked. Her eyes scanned her small makeshift room for a change of clothes, anything to cover herself up, but came up with nothing. Then, Sakura realized she could hide under the covers, and pretend to sleep.

"What's this?" the nurse exclaimed. "Young man, did you get in a fight. Dear lord, I'll have to get some more bandages. Just go back and lay on the bed for the meantime.

'_Oh, crap.'_

So Sakura resorted to the one thing she did best, as the footsteps came closer and red and black converses appeared below the curtain.

She jumped out the window.

* * *

Gaara could have sworn he heard something. But, when he pulled the curtain back, nothing was there. So he shrugged, laying down on the bed, and he thought he smelled something. A few things.

Blood, which didn't freak him out, considering he was bleeding.

Sweat, though he didn't think he had sweat that much and was pretty sure he put on deodorant, he does get sweaty from a fight.

But the other smell was strange, different. It almost smelled like… a girl.

Gaara thought back to when Temari made him smell twenty different shampoos and tell her which one was the best. It wasn't cinnamon, or strawberry, or cherry, or pomegranate. It was, Gaara thought as he took a big whiff, cucumber-melon.

Oh, well. Why did it matter?

* * *

Somehow, Deidara and Sasuke became friends. Gaara wasn't sure when, where, why, or _how_, but they were, and they were laughing and hanging out and talking.

It freaked Gaara out.

He thought it must be some elaborate plan of Sasuke's, trying to befriend them for some reason. He wouldn't fall for it though. Gaara was smarter than that.

Yet, at the same time, he was hurt that Sasuke wasn't trying to befriend him.

Gaara discarded the thought. He had friends. It was all cool.

So, Gaara sat in his seat, waiting for class to start, and to work on the stupid project. His group had almost all the questions filled out, thanks to Sakura, who had just walked in. She plopped into her seat, laying her head on the table. Gaara looked back down at the packet in his hands. It was a pretty easy project. He barely had to read.

Apparently, though, Mr. Asuma thought it was easy, too.

"Now, ladies and gentleman, you must create a summary of your books, once you finish them," he started.

The whole class groaned.

"You have some choices, and this will represent half of the grade for this assignment. It's not going to be some tiny little paragraph. No, these will be in depth summaries," he explained as he placed a paper on every desk.

"You can, first off, just write it. This one will be an independent work, and everyone will turn it in separately. The minimum length is two pages. Your second choice," Mr. Asuma continued. "Is to make a video. This would involve the whole group, and the minimum is five minutes. You can shoot it anywhere you like, to help with the setting of your book. If you need a camera, the school can loan you one. Next is…"

Gaara tuned him out after that, because the paper only had two group projects, the video, and then a skit in front of the class. No way was he going in front of the class, so the video it was. He was working on the questions, when Gaara heard a faint, "… don't stab me…"

Sakura was sleeping. Gaara leaned over, poking her arm. She didn't move. He poked her face as Deidara and Sasuke played paper football, and couldn't help but notice that she was soft. He leaned closer to wake her up, but stopped short. It was there again. Just like in the nurse's office, that fresh scent by the open window.

Sasuke flicked the paper football to Deidara, but missed and it sailed by, hitting Sakura in the head and finally waking her up. She glared at them, and class went on. But Gaara stayed the same, lost in his thoughts. She was there, he knew she had. That first day of school, she jumped out the first floor window. But the nurse's office was on the third floor. Something was different about Sakura. Gaara had always known that, but know it was different. He knew she was there, in the nurse's office, and therefore she escaped out the window before he could see her. But he knew. When he went to wake Sakura up, he noticed.

Sakura smelled like cucumber-melon.

And it kind of made Gaara feel like a stalker that he knew that.

o.O.0.O.o

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

I actually missed the ball drop, first time (that I remember.) My family was watching a movie, and we heard a gunshot so I looked at the clock. It was 12:02. XD

Yep, so on this story I'm all "Oooh, gotta keep writing, I know what's coming next~!"

And then on WvC, "Um… okay, so, um, now… uh… what story is this again?"

So… sorry to those who like WvC better than this story. XD Standard disclaimer applies!

PLEASE REVIEW~!


	10. Chapter 10

NET RETPAHC

Gaara paced outside the school. Right after the bell for lunch rang, he hurried out of the classroom. He had to tell Sakura. Confront her, _something_. But what was he supposed to do? Go up and say "Hey, you smell like cucumber-melon,"? Gaara mentally chuckled. He was sure that would go well. Gaara halted his pacing when people began to stare, but also because Sakura had just walked out.

Gaara didn't know what to say, so he slipped around the school and watched her from there. He pressed his back against the brick. Gaara watched as she walked down the sidewalk, her pink hair swooshing slightly behind her with every step.

"Stalking someone?"

Gaara jumped at the voice behind him and turned around to see Deidara peering around the corner where he was previously looking.

"No," Gaara defended, ignoring the blonde's grin. "Why does everyone think that I'm stalking Sakura?"

"It was Sakura?" Deidara asked. His teasing smile fell and he looked back out to where she was boarding her motorcycle. "Oh."

"Something's different about her," Gaara confided, though he was mostly talking to himself. "I just can't really explain it, but I just have this _feeling_…"

Gaara was staring up above to the nurse's office window. Deidara looked down before turning and walking away.

"See ya' tomorrow," Deidara muttered.

Gaara didn't reply. He kept thinking about what he could do.

'_I could tell someone,'_ Gaara thought. _'Maybe they could help me find out, or even watch her.'_

Gaara shook his head. Who could he tell? Who would even have any clue about what went on in Sakura's life? Gaara glanced up at the entrance to the school.

'_There is one person…'_

Gaara sighed as he walked up the concrete steps to the main entrance. Everyone else was leaving, running to buses, cars, or just out of the school property. Yet, here he was, walking back into the school. Because, as Gaara watched Sakura drive her motorcycle with such speed and precision, he also realized that it was dead silent. Perfect for sneaking around.

He really needed to have a talk with the principal.

* * *

Gaara quickly walked through the hall, turning to find the wooden doorway marked _Principal's Office_. Gaara took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Is Mrs. Tsunade here?" he asked the secretary.

At her nod, Gaara walked behind her desk, passing a painting of a boat in a river. He approached a door, knocking quietly. Muffled whispers reached his ears from the other side of the door, but when he got the okay to open it, Gaara only saw his principal sitting at her desk, reading through some papers.

"Gaara Subaku, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Tsunade inquired, glancing up.

Gaara closed the door behind him, walking over and sitting in the gray chair placed in front of the large desk.

"Mrs. Tsunade, I need to speak to you about something. Well, some_one_," Gaara started. He looked up when the rustling of paper paused to meet Tsunade's stare.

"What is it?" she replied.

"Well," Gaara said, taking a breath through his nose and letting it out through his mouth. _'Stay calm.'_ He reminded himself. "It's about a girl."

"Oh, please!" Tsunade exclaimed, standing up to shoo him out. "Don't bring your girl troubles to my office, boy."

"Wait!" Gaara said, standing up. "It's Sakura Haruno."

Tsunade stopped, staring at him with large brown eyes.

"You see," Gaara continued hesitantly. "She's not normal. Not like a good, unique not normal, but more like… she, well, she jumped out of the window on the third floor."

Gaara chanced a glance up, but the woman in front of him showed no emotion, so he continued. "You see-"

"Tsunade!"

The secretary burst into the room, her hair disheveled and her clothes wrinkly. Her glasses were crooked and her mouth was set in a firm, angry line.

"Mrs. Tsunade, two boys have been arguing in the front yard, and they had begun to fight. They seemed to be disagreeing on whether or not to talk to you," she said, moving to reveal the two boys she mentioned. Gaara groaned at the sight of them, putting his head in his hand.

"Deidara and Sasuke, what a pleasant surprise," Tsunade said, though she didn't seem surprised at all. She motioned them in and told the secretary to shut the door on her way out, which she did with "Humph!" Deidara sat in the other chair next to Gaara while Sasuke stood with his back against the wall.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait, Gaara," Tsunade sighed. She looked towards Deidara and Sasuke. "So what were you two talking about?"

"It's nothing-" Sasuke started, but Deidara shouted over him.

"There was someone following Sakura!" the blonde said, rising from his chair. He planted his hands on the desk. "We've got to do something! Call the cops or follow them or-!"

"Can you describe the man that was following her?" Tsunade asked calmly, but Gaara could feel authority behind her words. She reached for the stapler, shuffling some papers together to get them straight.

"Well, he was dresses kind of strange," Deidara said, falling back into his seat. "He had on a large black jacket, and it looked king of lumpy."

"He also had on a headband," Sasuke added. "It was white with a music note on it. I think there was a snake, too."

All the boys jumped at the loud _crack_ of Tsunade slamming her hand on the stapler. When she pulled away, Gaara saw cracks in the material.

"Something's not right about Sakura," Sasuke said, rising from his leaning position. "She acts different. A _different_ different."

'_Nice words.' _Gaara thought, chuckling to himself.

"That's what I was just saying," Gaara said aloud. Sasuke acknowledged him with a nod.

"Look," Tsunade hissed, taking her turn in slamming her hands on her desk. "You boys have no idea what you're getting into, so you need to just leave Sakura Haruno alone. She's just trouble." Tsunade stopped to consider what she said. "She's not a good student. She's bad news that you guys need to stay away from. She's just a useless trouble maker-!"

"Hey!" Deidara interrupted, standing back up once again. "You can't say that about her!"

Deidara stared into Tsunade's hard brown eyes.

"Get out of my office," she hissed.

The three stood up and filed out the door, through the main office, and then down the hallway and out of the school silently. Once out there, Gaara paused, pondering where to go. What Deidara and Sasuke had reported unnerved him. And, apparently, it unnerved Deidara more.

"Where are you going?" Gaara said, keeping his arms in a casual cross.

"I'm going to find Sakura," Deidara said in a low voice, stalking off. Sasuke grabbed his shoulder.

"Are you an idiot?" Sasuke said, glaring at him. "Tsunade clearly had a reason for telling us to leave her alone. So we should stay away. There's other people in the school to talk to."

"It's not just talking!" Deidara said, spinning around. "You guys don't get it… I feel different around her, I told her about my father! I can't, I can't just-!"

Deidara backed up, running in the direction that Sakura had left.

"I can't just leave her alone like that!"

Sasuke stiffened beside Gaara as they watched Deidara run. "Left alone…" he muttered.

Gaara sighed. When did this all happen? Couldn't he just go back to following Naruto around? Regular days without girls jumping out windows and people attacking the school?

"So what are we doing?" Gaara asked, breaking Sasuke out of thought. "Staying or going?"

"… I think we should leave," Sasuke decided, turning to the other direction. "See you tomorrow, Gaara."

"Yeah," Gaara replied, staring in the direction of Sakura before turning around. "See ya'."

The next day at school, neither Deidara nor Sakura showed up.

o.O.0.O.o

"Who are you?" Oh, yeah, I'm that one author who doesn't update! XD

Here ya' go! Chapter, um… whatever. XD Ten! That's it. It feels short. Next I'll do WvC, I promise! (just maybe not soon.)

So, yep! I don't own Naruto.

REVIEW PLEASE~!


	11. Chapter 11

NEVELE RETPAHC

Deidara only heard his feet hitting the ground.

He was running down the road that he had seen Sakura and the guy drive down, and was just running towards the faint sound of a motorcycle as he dodged people. It was, now, getting kind of dark, and he was reaching the edge of the town, where there were either no houses at all, or a bunch squished together. Deidara's breathing was coming heavy by now, but he had already stopped for water, and couldn't afford losing them.

_Come on_, he willed himself. _Keep going_.

But, still, over the pound of his feet, Deidara heard his heart thumping and his breath, rasping in his ears. His lungs felt dry, his legs burned, his stomach growled, and, _heck_, was he still even in the Leaf Village?

The motorcycles sounded even fainter in the distance, and Deidara strained to hear them. Thoughts crowded his head of quitting. He was able to ignore them all, except for one.

_Gaara loves Sakura._

Deidara's feet finally slowed, and the people passed by him with only a glance. He stood on the sidewalk and stared at a crack, his motivation suddenly depleted.

_Gaara loves Sakura_.

Deidara thought back to when Gaara had been watching Sakura and admitting that she was different, and that he just had a feeling he couldn't explain.

_It's love,_ Deidara thought bitterly. He then stopped (his thoughts, of course, considering he was standing still). Did _he_ love her?

Deidara stood for a moment longer before taking a breath and begin running again.

_No,_ Deidara thought as a sense of calmness washed over his tired body. _Not love… but I still care._

* * *

It would have been heart-warming and romantic to say that Deidara ran the whole time, never stopping no matter what.

But if he did that, then he wouldn't have ever made it. He's only human.

So he stole someone's bike.

Deidara was making better time with the bike, gaining speed down hills and coasting when he was tired. The motorcycle sound was louder than before, and Deidara was coming upon the edge of civilization.

_Where are they going?_ Deidara thought, glancing at the trees that loomed ahead in the distance. He was overjoyed that the bike he stole had a full, unopened water bottle in the water bottle holder. It was a relief to his dry lungs.

Deidara suddenly slowed down as he noticed something moving in the shadows behind the buildings. Actually, where ever he looked, there was some black shape speeding by in the same direction as him. Deidara watched as they passed by, and could barely see them, one by one, follow each other as they dashed into the surrounding woodlands.

Deidara pedaled quickly down the hill, away from the buildings and ditched the bike in a bush. Deidara stared into the darkness of the trees.

_It's so silent_, he thought, but began walking anyways.

It was hard to see, especially as he went deeper, so Deidara tripped a lot. It was only getting darker, and harder to see!

Deidara paused, unsure if that was actually light ahead, before quietly hurrying towards it. Deidara slipped behind a tree and peeked around to see a dimly light clearing. There was ripped up grass and dirt scattered around, along with tire marks. Deidara stepped out as he saw no one, and looked at the direction in which they went. The only thing, though, was that there were two tracks, one Sakura's and one the man's, which led in opposite directions.

"Let's go with the gut," Deidara muttered, and headed to the left. He walked along, sadly back in the dark, and ended up heading out even longer than when he first entered.

When Deidara come upon the light the next time, he was surprised to hear voices. He slowed down, habitually flipping his hair out of his eyes. When the voices were done and had disappeared, then Deidara emerged from behind the tree. He cautiously looked around as he began walking, but tripped and cursed.

"What the…" Deidara said, bending down and finding that the grass was loose. He lifted it up and found a slab of light-weight concrete, and when he lifted it up, a staircase led down to a hallway, lit by torches. Just like out of the movies.

Deidara walked down, replacing the slab.

* * *

Gaara walked home slowly, scuffing his shoes on the concrete and not bothering to hurry even as the street lights began to flicker on. He pondered over everything that had happened since that motorcycle first pulled up to the school and Sakura stepped off. Gaara snickered as he remembered when Sakura completely turned Sasuke down.

He thought about what Tsunade said. He thought about... well, Gaara was doing a lot of thinking. There were people in the world that were different. There are those that were strange and didn't follow the rules, or wore green instead of purple, and those who ate ketchup instead of cheese. But even those people didn't jump out windows or get called to the office every day, or even break their hands.

Gaara thought back to any signs that might help him solve the mystery that the goofy part of his brain labeled_ Sakura Blossom Mystery_. There was the fact that she owned a motorcycle. Sure, other people did, but not any girls. Most of the motorcycles also weren't able to turn dead silent.

Sakura also hadn't been affected by Sasuke's charm or good looks. For their first class, she had gone completely unnoticed in the back of class. She jumped out of a window twice, once on the first floor and the other on the third.

There was also the time she had been gone before suddenly appearing in class, completely drenched. She had also confronted the gang on talking about people behind their backs. Now, when he thought back to it, how did she even hear them? It made him wonder. He wondered so much that Gaara didn't notice he had passed his own home.

Yet he still wondered, even after he turned around and began walking back. She hangs out in the tree in front of the school, broke her hand and didn't do anything about it, and insulted a boy who had temper issues (also known as Deidara). When he started to attack and punch her, she just laughed and dodged. She raced another guy in a motorcycle race. Not to mention when those people broke into the school and kidnapped her. She passed it off as a joke from her old school.

Gaara walked up the steps to his front door, finding it unlocked and walking in to see Temari and Kankuro finishing dinner.

"Hey, Mr. Late," Temari said, glaring at him as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Your dinner's in the fridge."

"Thanks," Gaara mumbled, grabbing the covered plate and heading to his room. He decided, though, to go into the study instead, and eat in there. It was calm in the study and he could think better there.

When he walked in, Gaara turned on the desk lamp and sat down in the plush chair, staring at the shadows on the books all around him.

Sakura had chased a bird into the woods before suddenly stopping and staring at some ordinary trees like they were about to explode. That was a weird time. And when she threw Deidara's papers into the fish tank and got in a scuffle with him, but ended up just giving him her papers, that was… out of character. Someone followed her, and the principal seemed to not want him, Deidara, and Sasuke to talk to her. That was what Sakura had kept saying before, too.

Gaara sighed and tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling.

He still couldn't think of anything. What could she be? A spy?

Gaara snorted at the thought.

Of course not.

* * *

Deidara stared into the hallway, _still_ dark even with the torches, which scared Deidara since one almost caught his hair on fire. He had made it quietly throughout the hall, and emerged into an open room with two hallways and three doors. One door had a light on, so he avoided that one, and the other two were locked, so Deidara went down yet another hallway.

After that, Deidara found himself among a large complex, on a balcony that looked over an organization of workers. They were all busy, moving around computer and counters, some in lab coats and some in what seemed to be _battle gear_. Deidara stared down and decided to go in the direction that the large, muscular guys weren't going.

There were doors along the hallway, some open, some closed. Deidara snuck past some, barely getting caught. He stopped for a moment and momentarily wondered where to go, and decided that the end of the hallway would be the best. Deidara began walking, barely seeing an open door until he was almost walking in front of it. He pulled back and pinned himself to the wall, hoping desperately he wouldn't get caught. He needed to, he _wanted_ to know what was going on!

"… something wrong?"

Deidara heard a voice say, and immediately held his breath and listened.

"No… I had thought I sensed someone, but, I'm not sure…"

"Oh, please, you know the officers would never let someone in. Here, I'll shut the door."

Deidara watched silently as the door clicked shut before continuing, stepping with silent precision. He was so close to the end of the hallway, he could see the letters on the door.

_Interrogation_

For some reason, Deidara knew that was the room. It was even propped open, barely cracked open enough that Deidara was able to look in when he arrived.

The room opened up to the right, and a lone light hung from the ceiling, swinging slowly back in forth, making everything go into shadows, then light, shadows, light.

Deidara noticed a man tied to a chair, _no_, not tied, those were metal straps. When he lifted his head, Deidara saw the white headband of the man that was following Sakura. His mouth moved as he glared at someone, but Deidara couldn't hear him. After sticking a finger in his ear and finding nothing, Deidara decided that there must be some kind of glass wall that he just couldn't see. Yeah, that was it.

_The other person must be the one interrogating,_ Deidara thought. He peered closer as the light washed over the other figure, and noticed something. A black outfit, a sheath with a sword, a pack attached to the back of the black pants, a pair of fingerless gloves, and, dear Lord! Could it be? Deidara recognized the white mask with the swirling red design.

That was the person who had come to the school and rescued him, Gaara, and Sasuke.

It was the person that he envied for their strength and courage.

It was the person that Deidara struggled to become as strong as.

It was the person he tried to remember, but couldn't recall.

As the light washed back over the figure, Deidara noticed something else.

It was the person he knew as Sakura Haruno.

Deidara barely had time to open his eyes wide in surprise before he was hit in the head, the world falling into blackness around him.

Or maybe it was him.

Yeah, it was him.

o.O.0.O.o

Is anyone else proud of me? I'm proud of me. XD

I got this chapter up. Yes, it's true. You are not hallucinating. Only if there are monkeys jumping around the screen.

EDIT: I just edited this, and I put that "It was the person he tried to paint," XD Wow, I should probably read my own chapters...

I don't own the series Naruto.

REVIEW PLEASE!

**And vote for DeiSaku or GaaSaku on my profile page!**


	12. Chapter 12

EVLEWT RETPAHC

Sakura spun around from interrogating the Sound nin as a crash was heard. She placed a sound-proof mask over the enemy before releasing the genjutsu that prevented sound from going through it.

"Is everything okay?" she hollered.

"No," the reply was, and another ANBU agent, Fu, stuck his head through the door. "Someone got in somehow. He was outside the door here, so I just knocked him out. Who knows what he's seen? I'm going to call Tsunade, to see what to do with him."

"Okay," Sakura replied. "Do you want me to take him to a cell? Or maybe the other interrogation room, to see what he was doing here."

"Doesn't matter to me," Fu said, shrugging. His long, light orange hair fell behind him. "Here; you can take him then and I'll go."

Sakura walked out the door as a body was hoisted up for her to take. Sakura stared, then gasped.

It was Deidara.

_What's he doing here?_ She wondered, and panicked. How did he get here? Did he follow her? _Why_ would he follow her?

_Oh no._

"W-was he looking inside here?" she stuttered. Fu nodded.

"Yeah, I snuck up behind him. See you later."

Sakura stared at the unconscious body of Deidara.

He had followed her to an ANBU base.

He found the interrogation room where she was.

He _saw_ her.

He knew.

Sakura panicked. She could stay calm when she was in a deadly battle, but now, she panicked. In her panic, Sakura dropped Deidara in her hurry to the other interrogation room.

He tumbled down the stairs.

* * *

"Why are you here?"

Sakura sat behind a one-way glass mirror with Tsunade as Fu interrogated Deidara. He was strapped into a chair, a dim light hanging over the two.

"Where's Sakura?" Deidara asked, struggling against the restraints of the chair he was in. He looked around desperately. "I need to talk to her! What is she? Why is she here?"

"Why are you here?" Fu repeated more sternly.

"What's going on?" Deidara hollered in his usual loud manner, ignoring the man. "Tell me! Why is she different? What's with that mask? She-"

Fu touched Deidara's forehead, sending chakra in to soothe his brain. Deidara almost instantly calmed down, lying back against the chair he was in.

"Now," Fu began softly. "Why did you come here, and how did you find this place?"

"I was following her!" Deidara said quietly with half-lidded eyes. "I followed her, and I heard voices in the woods, and they led me here….. Where _is_ here? What's going on?" Deidara eyes widened as he began struggling again, growing frantic.

"Who did you follow?"

"Sakura!" Deidara cried exasperatedly. Sakura felt Tsunade send her a glance.

"Why would you follow this girl?" Fu said, pretending not to know her.

"Because I was worried!" Deidara shouted at the man, pulling against his restraints as far as he could go.

Sakura took in a sharp intake of breath.

"How could I just walk away when I saw some creep follow her? Who would do that? I was worried! She, she knows who I am! She understands me!" he cried as he began to break down. His eye watered slightly as he gave up in his struggle, lying against the chair. "She understands me…"

Sakura abruptly stood up, her chair scraping against the floor. She briskly walked out of the room.

She couldn't watch this any longer.

* * *

"You know this can't continue, right?"

Sakura sat on hunched on the couch, her face in her hands. She still wore her ANBU uniform.

"These kids are getting too close." Tsunade continued. "That Deidara boy already followed you. Gaara and Sasuke came asking about you. They're getting attached. Once we have to leave or something happens, you already-"

"I know," Sakura moaned. Her voice was watery as she shook her head. "I know, I know, _I know_."

"Sakura-"

"_I know!_" Sakura shouted, still keeping her face buried.

Tsunade stared at Sakura before turning around and walking away.

_I'm sorry,_ Tsunade thought. _I'm sorry you can never have a normal life._

* * *

Gaara walked into to school, books tucked under his arm. He passed Sasuke, who glanced at him before following.

"Have you seen her?" Sasuke asked quietly. The hallway bustled around them, people chatting and laughing before school started.

"No," Gaara replied. They kept walking, until they saw something.

Blonde.

"Deidara!" Sasuke called, and said boy turned around from his locker as the two ran up. "What happened? Where's Sakura? Are you guys okay?"

"Are _you_ okay?" Deidara asked, staring at Sasuke with a raised eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"The other day when you followed Sakura and that other guy," Gaara said quietly, making sure no one else could hear.

"The other day I had detention," Deidara said slowly. "Why would I follow Sakura?"

Sasuke and Gaara stared at each other. Deidara closed his locker, stuffing a binder with the rest of his books.

"Well, see ya'," Deidara said, walking away, giving them a last glance.

"I can't believe it," Sasuke mumbled as the two walked slowly to class. "He doesn't remember! What happened?"

"I don't know," Gaara said (and was truthfully surprised that Sasuke was still talking to him). "But something definitely happened. Sakura got followed, so Deidara went after her, they're both gone from school, then he comes back and doesn't remember a thing. And Sakura's _still_ not here."

The two entered the classroom, and everything went on like normal.

There just wasn't any spots of pink.

* * *

Sakura sat at home. Memories washed through her brain like tidal waves. She thought of so many things, that she sat there inside her weapon room for hours. She didn't eat. She didn't know what time it was. Was there school today? If she didn't go, the guys might get worried, especially Gaara….

Gaara.

Memories of him passed through her mind. She thought of when he first talked to her, after she had broke her hand. When the two had detention together, and he walked her home in the rain. She stared at her pale hand, remembering how his hand gripped the umbrella.

Sakura remembered when they first got in a group together, and met at the mall. Ricky the Raccoon; that became a nickname. She remembered back when they sat in the park together, and she could practically hear the music drifting in the air. Then there was when the school was attacked by Sound, when he came after her. They both came after her, him and Deidara.

Deidara.

Sakura remembered when she first saw that heart-shaped black eye. The laughs, and the punches. When they got put in the same group? She never would of thought of it. At the mall, he punched that guy. For _her_. There was that night with him, too. He was right, she _did_ understand him. She understood the pain of losing loved ones. She listened to his story. Neither would admit it, but they grew closer that night.

She had bugged him in class. She had got fed up and tossed his papers into the fish tank. Why? And why did she give him hers? She wouldn't have done that before. She was becoming soft.

He knew. Well, Deidara _had_ known. He cared about her. Why else would he follow her while she was being chased by a dangerous man? He hadn't even known if the man was dangerous. Also, the ANBU base was far away from the school. Far. He followed her all that way. Sakura hugged herself, burying her face in her knees.

Then there was Sasuke. He was okay. Not too many memories of him.

Gaara, Deidara, and Sasuke. Then there were those other kids; the two obnoxious blondes, that shy girl, the smart kid. They all became a part of her, even if just a little bit. She was becoming closer. Not even that, but even just with liking the school, her teachers. She was becoming attached.

Sakura was always taught to never become attached.

That reminded Sakura of something; a group of kids playing at the playground. They were all having fun, and she was with them. They were _friends_. Playing, laughing, staying out until their parents called them in for dinner.

Then they were attacked.

Sakura would never forget what she did. She became attached and made friends, and they got hurt. Some had to go to the hospital, and it was all her fault. She remembered their smiling faces and how they called to her, _"Come on, let's play!"_

A lone tear escaped Sakura's eye.

Sakura had to leave. It was for the best, of course. If she had stayed, who knows what would have happened? Tsunade took her away. Tsunade, not her parents.

Her parents.

Sakura pushed all those memories away as she curled into a ball as tears began to leak from her eyes. She couldn't even bare to think about them. It hurt too much, made her think about too many things and how they could have gone differently. _It made her think about what she could have done._

Sunlight snuck in from under the door, but Sakura sat for a while longer, waiting till she was calmed. She took all the time she needed.

There was only one day left, she decided; one day until it happened again. They couldn't afford it happening again. _She _couldn't afford it happening again.

It was going to be just like leaving those little kids, but this time they weren't little, and this time it was even harder.

It was going to be so hard to leave it all behind.

* * *

o.O.0.O.o

BUM BUM BUUUM!

OMGZ, I updated. O: But it's short.

I think I'll make this twenty chapters, maybe, but I'll have to see how it goes. Anyways, I'm stuck on WvC, I can't think of what happens next. I think there might just be one more chapter! Well, maybe two. I'll have to make sure I tie up all loose ends. Um, I also don't own the series Naruto! Thanks for reading!

REVIEW~ PLEASE~!


	13. Chapter 13

**Note****: Okay, guys, there's two chapters left of WvC, the final chapter and the epilogue. You all should know (if you've read it, of course) that Kiba and Sakura are going on a date. I have no clue what to do for it. D: If you have any ideas, or suggestions, please let me know! Oh, also, PLEASE vote on my page for Gaara or Deidara, who you want Sakura to be with.**

NEETRIHT RETPAHC

Sakura was at school.

Gaara couldn't believe it. When he was walking into school, he had spotted that dot of pink hair in the crowd. He had tried to reach her, but she was gone by the time he caught up. Gaara even stood near her locker up until the bell rang, but she never showed. He was late for homeroom, so he had no chance to talk to her as she sat in the very back corner.

"She's here," Sasuke stated as he meet up with Gaara on their way to first period. "I've barely caught a glance of her though."

"Me too," Gaara said. He glanced over to where her locker was as they passed, but she wasn't there.

They walked into their first period class and saw Sakura sitting in the far back corner. The bell rang, and the two sat down as Hinata hurried into the room.

"Oh, look, it's the pearl-eyed freak," Sakura said, loud enough for Hinata to hear.

Hinata stopped in surprise, blinking at Sakura with hurt in her eyes.

"Hey!" Naruto hollered, rising up.

"Sit down, Naruto," the teacher said as he walked in.

"Yeah, you loud-mouthed brat, sit down," Sakura mumbled, and Naruto glared at her.

Gaara sat there in surprise. What had happened to her? Just the other day, she had been happy and nice. Gaara briefly wondered if it had something to do with her disappearance. Could something have happened? What could make Sakura's mood change so quickly?

"What's up with you?" Sakura snapped.

Gaara hadn't realized he was staring. "Nothing…" he mumbled, turning back around in his seat.

* * *

Later, as they walked down the hallway, Gaara watched as Ino caught up to Sakura, her blonde hair and blue skirt flying behind her as her heels clicked on the floor.

"Hey, Forehead, what's up with you?" Ino asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I don't know, Pig, why don't you go stuff yourself while you think?"

"Gosh!" Ino squeaked in a high-pitched, indignant voice. "You're being so mean!"

"You're so smart," Sakura said sarcastically.

"Be that way! See if I care!" Ino said with her nose in the air. She stormed away, her heels clicking on the floor.

Gaara followed Sakura to the cafeteria where she ran into Sasuke.

"Oh, there you are!" he said.

"Pssh!" she said, brushing past him.

Sasuke just stood there.

"Did I… do something?" he asked, focusing his attention on Gaara.

"She's been like that all day," Gaara said. His arms were crossed in his usual pose. "She called Hinata a 'pearl-eyed freak' again, argued with Ino, snapped at me and acted coldly to you."

"What about Deidara?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know," Gaara said. "I haven't seen him yet."

Gaara walked into the cafeteria past Sasuke, who followed after a moment. When he walked in, he noticed that Sakura was walking out of the lunch line just as Deidara walked up. Almost immediately, Sakura whipped around, walking in the opposite direction as though she didn't want Deidara to see her. Sakura headed to the back of the cafeteria where she found an empty table.

_What's wrong with her?_ Gaara wondered again. He didn't know, but he didn't like it. Who said she could just march in here and give everyone this crap? This negativity and harshness? Gaara left Sasuke to get his lunch and began heading toward Sakura.

Gaara had only taken about two steps when Sakura looked up as though she knew his intentions. She pushed back her seat, leaving her tray, and went outside in a matter of seconds. Gaara continued ahead, pushing out the double doors after her and into the sun. He saw Sakura disappear around the corner of the school.

"Hey!" he called, but she didn't stop, not that he expected her to.

Gaara hopped down a few stairs and turned the corner. People were lounging around outside, eating lunch and chatting with friends on their break. But Sakura was heading away from them all, away from the noise and chatter and everything that was normal.

Gaara followed after her.

She headed around to the back of the school, and ahead of him Gaara saw her slow down at the sight of the Dumpsters where she had first met Deidara, before she hurried ahead, seeming to go faster. But Gaara wasn't some wimp or out of shape, so kept up with her, and was more surprised that she was keeping up with him. He thought he would have out-run her already, but she headed all the way back to where the football stadium was.

Gaara glanced behind him, back towards the school. Students weren't supposed to go to the football stadium during break, though some couples would slip away for privacy, but Gaara could still get caught for being out here and get in trouble. He didn't spot any teachers or other students watching, and turned to look back to the girl he was following.

She wasn't there.

* * *

Sakura was glad she had been able to lose Gaara. She glanced around the stadium, but there was only one lone couple making-out. When they saw that she had entered and their privacy was ruined, they glared at her before climbing down the bleachers, heading back towards the school. Sakura walked out to the middle of the football field, where normally there would be boys playing football, but the turf was slippery form the recent rain. Sakura carefully picked her way across, heading to the back of the stadium where she could sit in a spot she had found.

Underneath the stands where the band played, a lone tree had taken root and began growing underneath. It was still small, but it would get little white blossoms. Sakura loved to sit back there, where the ground was dry and no one was near. When she sat there, she wasn't an assassin, she didn't have any problems, and there wasn't anyone else in the world. So, right now, Sakura wanted to go sit under that tree to wait out most of this terrible day and forget all her problems.

"Hey!"

Sakura froze, glancing behind her. Gaara had caught up to her and was racing towards her, just now reaching the field. Sakura saw that he didn't know it was slippery, and used it to her advantage, heading quickly to her spot, as he ran on to the turf and slipped almost immediately. While he was down, she slid behind the stands, though she knew he'd look back there once he got up. She needed to hide.

But, for some reason, she didn't want to.

Sakura looked down at her clothing as she settled down. Throughout the days, she had been kind of releasing the "rebel" look. She had tried to do it without Tsunade noticing, wearing a bright green shirt hidden under a black jacket, or pink flip-flops, but with black nail-polish. She had let go of the don't-talk-to-me attitude, been a little nicer, and raised her hand every once in a while in class. Because, really, that was who she was. Even though she was an assassin, she liked bright colors and talking with friends and making jokes. Who wouldn't? The ability to kill someone didn't change anything to her.

Sakura closed her eyes as a breeze stirred her hair and lifted a few white blossoms off the small tree.

Now, today, she had to return to that front. She had on dark clothing and held an expression that said "I don't care." She was being mean to poor Hinata, insulting Ino, and brushing off her friends. Why did it always turn out that way? She hated it. There. She hated, hated, hated it. She loved the thrill and excitement of being an assassin, training and going on missions. Plus, there was fun missions, not always just killing people. But she wished it wouldn't interfere with a normal life.

"Sakura."

He'd found her.

Sakura opened her eyes and glanced up. Gaara was standing over her, his clothes wet and slightly muddy from slipping onto the turf, and his arms crossed with a slightly angry expression on his face.

"_What_ are you doing?" he asked, clearly meaning how she was acting.

Sakura opened her mouth, wanting to, _about to_, say that she didn't want to act this way and she was sorry, but she couldn't. She had to push him away from here. Away from her.

"I'm sitting." She snapped, turning her face away from him. Sakura heard him groan in annoyance above her.

"You know what I'm talking about," he growled. "What gives you a right to do that?"

Something inside Sakura froze. It hurt, too. Was it her heart? That seemed about right, the spot where this pain was coming from.

"You can't be like this," Gaara continued, squatting down by her. "You came here saying you didn't want anything to do with us, or anyone, and then you become our friends. Maybe, maybe even more than friends to some people. And now you're just throwing that way and treating us like you can't be bothered with us anymore? You're hurting people, Sakura."

"That's what I do," she murmured.

"And what _is_ that?" Gaara asked. Sakura stayed silent, her head turned away. "Look at me, Sakura! What's up with you? You'll be hurt, and not just a scratch, but _hurt_. And you disappear all the time. You're more elite than anyone I know, you're able to jump out windows for crying out loud! How'd you get like that? For defense? You just have to tell someone, there's people that can help."

"No one can help!" Sakura snapped, whipping her head around to face him. She knew she shouldn't get like this, let her feelings take a hold of her. She could reveal things when she was like this.

"Yes, they can!"

Gaara and Sakura turned to see Sasuke and Deidara. They walked up as Sakura and Gaara stood.

"People can help, friends and family," Sasuke continued.

"You guys couldn't fix any of my problems," Sakura said coldly, but on the inside she felt so happy she could cry. Her friends were here, because they were worried and wanted to help. They were here for _her._

"That's what I thought too," Gaara said quietly.

"I -I never thought there was anyone who could help me," Deidara began, taking a step towards Sakura. "After my mom left and my dad sent me away, I thought no one else could ever help or love me. But people did. I met Sasori, and I met you, Sakura. Even my grandma, when I stayed with her. You all helped me through. I don't think of my dad with scorn, but I think of how he's getting along, if he found a better job. I'm not mad at my mother for leaving, instead I just wonder where she's gone."

Sasuke and Gaara looked at Deidara with slight surprise. They hadn't known this information, and apparently Deidara had told all this to Sakura.

"My father was never happy with me," Sasuke said quietly. "I always spent my time trying to be as good as my brother, who my dad loved. But I couldn't. No matter what I did, I was never good enough for him. But my mother loved me, she cared for me and no matter what I did she was proud. Then my parents got in a car crash." Sasuke closed his eyes as if remembering something. "She didn't make it."

Deidara put a comforting hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sakura stood there, taking this in.

"Naruto's an idiot," Sasuke continued after a moment. "But he's always there to cheer people up and will help anyone with anything. He was there for me like we can be for you."

Sakura pictured the loud blonde and his giant grin, and wasn't surprised. Deidara and Sasuke looked towards Gaara, who kept his usual pose but looked down to the ground.

"My father… he was abusive. He hated me since my mother died while giving birth to me. My dad would get drunk and try to beat me. Sometimes he would. But," Gaara said, directing his gaze to Sakura. "I had Kankuro and Temari. They would hide me when my dad came home drunk. They would even occasionally take hits if he demanded to see me. I love them," Gaara admitted, "and not to mention Naruto and them helped, just like for Sasuke."

Sakura felt their gaze on her as she stood there. They _could_ help her. They understood her like they understood each other. They could be there for her when she needed them and could help heal the pain in her heart. She wanted to just say okay, because they were so kind.

Why'd they have to do that?

"You guys don't realize what you're doing," Sakura said, raising her voice slightly as she clenched her fists. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"We're trying to help," Deidara said.

"Well, you're not," Sakura said, glaring at them. This wasn't the reaction they had been expecting. "You're just making it worse!"

"Why do you have to make everything so complicated with your secrets?" Gaara hollered.

"Why can't you guys just except that they're secrets and leave me alone?" Sakura retorted.

"Is it so wrong to care?" Gaara hollered back.

"For me, yes!" Sakura shouted, and Gaara stopped in surprise.

"Just forget about me already, okay? It's better that way! Everyone needs to." Sakura said, and stormed off.

Sakura marched away, leaving them behind. She wanted them to forget her, and she'd forget about them.

But it's hard to forget about people you love.

o.O.0.O.o

OMGZ, like so totally. O:

XD Anyways, yes, I am progressing on this story. I like it a lot better than my other. :D

I'll try to update soon, probably after I finish WvC.

So… I don't own the characters of Naruto...

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~! :D


	14. Chapter 14

**VOTE FOR GAASAKU OR DEISAKU ON MY PROFILE PAGE!**

NEETRUOF RETPAHC

Sakura briskly walked to the front of the school, ready to just hop on her motorcycle and leave. Get away for a bit, come back at night before the sun rose. But, she couldn't. She couldn't do that as an assassin. If she was needed, she had to be there.

Sakura sighed, changing her direction to the front doors and the principal's office behind them. She slipped inside and nodded at Shizune before going up and knocking lightly on Tsunade's door.

"Come in!"

Sakura opened the door to see Tsunade leaned back in her chair, feet on the desk, looking over a paper.

"What's up, kiddo?" Tsunade asked, sliding her feet off the desk.

"Tsunade, I need to leave for a while," Sakura said, plopping down in an empty seat. "Things are kind of brewing up and I have to do something to get my mind off everything."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, looking at Sakura. "Things aren't getting too bad, are they? Do we need to leave again?"

Sakura clenched her eyes closed, as though hit, when leaving was suggested. "No, I don't think we need to."

_At least not yet,_ Sakura thought sadly.

"Well," Tsunade began, "We could have you scout out around where the hideout is, find the border of the genjutsu to the east. When it was being scouted out, a chakra was detected and they retreated. Do you want to go check it out? School won't be out for about another hour or two, so do you want to wait?"

"No," Sakura answered immediately. "I'll go now."

Tsunade shrugged. "Okay, whatever you want."

Sakura stood up, walking out of the office and into another room to change into her gear. Once she had it on, she felt different. Lighter, freer. She walked over to the window in the room, pulling it open and jumping out. The moment she touched the ground, she took off, racing towards the trees that would cover her. Sakura let out a small breath as she fell in between the trunks and their covering branches, before climbing up a tree, so she could jump through the branches and leave fewer footprints in the marshy ground. The forest behind the school connected to the one in the park, so Sakura just took it easy, occupying herself with the sounds of wildlife, and with adjusting all her gear.

It didn't take her long. She was trained in speed as an assassin, and soon she sensed the genjutsu when she was about ten feet away. Sakura stopped, still amazed at it. It was large, big, _huge_, and mostly a genjutsu that size would be able to be detected probably, oh, well, over in Water Country. But no, you had to be close to this one, real close, to detect it. Amazing.

Sakura pulled out a notepad that had a copy of the border taken so far. Walking around carrying it, she felt like one of those guys that just walk around everyone's yards to check their gas or electric meters. But this concerned murderous enemies that were probably trying to take over the world, not how high their electric meter is. Though she might check that as well.

Sakura tried to stay hidden, because even though their actual hideout was probably far in the territory, someone was probably still patrolling. Luckily, no one would be able to sense her chakra through the genjutsu, so as long as they didn't see her it would be okay.

"How long does this go?" Sakura muttered.

She was already coming to the end of the paper! Surely the trees would start thinning out soon, too, and she doubted the genjutsu would go too far near civilization in case any villagers wandered in. but it was still in pretty deep, no one would come this far into the forest, so surely that wasn't a little boy right there-

Sakura froze.

Up ahead was a little boy, probably about seven or eight, holding a leash without a dog. Tears were in his eyes as he looked around, calling out to his dog. He was walking forward, straight towards the genjutsu.

Sakura didn't have time to think and burst out of her hiding place, snatching the boy up just as he was about to step ahead. She hopped into a nearby tree and took off, hoping no one saw her.

But she hadn't missed the arm that had swung out to grab them.

* * *

Sakura touched her hand to the little boy's head, soothing him with chakra, making him fall asleep. She had no clue where he belonged, so she decided to take him back to Tsunade's office, since school was out now. When she suddenly landed on her windowsill, Tsunade jumped, spinning around.

"Sakura, why'd you sneak up on me?" Tsunade asked, eyes narrowed, until she saw the boy. "Who's this?"

"I found him wandering in the woods, searching for his lost dog. He almost wandered past the genjutsu, which is why he's here."

"Well, at least he's okay," Tsunade said.

"Yeah, but," Sakura started, "Someone saw me. Just as I grabbed the boy before he walked past the genjutsu, an arm swung out to grab us."

"Great," Tsunade groaned. "Now they know that we know about their hideout."

"But they already knew," Sakura pointed out. "They lured me towards it with that bird while I was in the park."

"That is true," Tsunade said, and was quiet for a moment as she thought. "Well, for now, you need to take that boy home. While you change I'll have Shizune wake him up and remove the memory of what just happened."

Sakura nodded, walking into the same room she changed in earlier. She only put on jeans, converses, and her black jacket, in a weak attempt to keep the look, but she mainly didn't want to scare the boy. When she came out, he was standing by Shizune, looking worried.

"Here's Sakura," Shizune said, pushing the boy forward. "She's here to take you home."

Sakura offered he hand, smiling at the boy. He took it, and she led him outside the office. She bent down to his level, giving him another smile.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He sniffled before saying, "Maru."

"Okay then, Maru, where do you live?"

"O-over by the candy store," he said. "But what happened?"

"Well," Sakura began, quickly making it up in her head, "You were out looking for your dog in the woods and stumbled out behind the school, but you hit your head. I had just come out of school and saw you, so I brought you in to the nurse. Now you're all better!"

"Thank you, Sakura!" the little boy said, giving a shy smile. He easily accepted the make-shift story.

"Now, let's take you home," Sakura said, offering him her hand. He took it and she led him out of the school.

* * *

"She's crazy," Deidara stated.

Him, Gaara, and Sasuke were all heading to Sasuke's house to hang out. They had all been put in detention after being found at the football stadium during school hours, and decided to hang out afterwards. They hadn't expected to witness what had happened.

"I don't understand Sakura," Sasuke said. "She mean, she's nice, then she's mean again, now she's nice again? But only to lost little boys?"

"Her secrets are so annoying," Gaara said. He stopped talking as they crossed a slightly busy road before resuming. "If she told us about what's going on then we could help and everything would be okay."

"But…. What if we can't really help?" Deidara asked.

"We could still try," Sasuke pointed out.

"That's true, and we should-" Deidara stopped suddenly. "Holy crap. Sasuke, that is _not_ your house, is it?"

Sasuke looked over at the large house, the pool, the go-karts in the backyard, the gardener tending to the flowers, and the fancy cars in the driveway.

"Technically, it's my dad's," Sasuke said with a grin, and pushed open the front gate.

"Do you have a bunch of servants?" Deidara asked, eyeing the gardener who waved politely to the boys.

"Oh, no," Sasuke replied with a laugh. "We only have a gardener since, you know, my mom's not here to take care of the flowers anymore."

"Oh," Deidara said, and they walked inside.

"I think Sasuke just wanted to show off," Gaara said teasingly.

"Wait until you see my room," Sasuke replied with a grin, leading them up the stairs.

Deidara followed behind the other two, looking around. It was a pretty fancy house, especially on the inside. He'd never been in one before and it was almost…. Unnerving. It wasn't his usual habitat. The fancy house actually kind of reminded him of-

Deidara stopped. It was weird, you know, that he'd think of his mom right now. He hadn't thought about her in so long. He guessed that it was probably because this was the type of stuff she liked but could never have.

"Deidara?"

Deidara looked up to see Gaara and Sasuke standing at the top of the stairs.

"Are you… okay?" Sasuke asked.

Deidara slowly shook his head as if it would clear his mind. "Yeah…. Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the past."

"…. how does Sakura know?" Gaara asked. "How does she know about your past?"

"I told her," Deidara replied.

"When?"

"A while back," Deidara replied simply, walking past them, into Sasuke's room. He didn't want to tell them about how she had stayed at his house and that whole other episode that had happened that night.

"When?" Gaara asked again, following him.

"A while back," Deidara repeated.

"Why won't you tell me?" Gaara said, narrowing his eyes.

"Why do you want to know so badly?" Deidara shot back.

"Because I was wondering when you had enough time with her to tell her your whole past, and why you guys weren't fighting the whole time!"

"We don't always fight!" Deidara said indignantly, spinning around. Why in the world would he fight with the girl that he had-

Wait…

What did he have?

Fe?

Fee?

Feel….

Feelings?

For her?

Deidara was still having a little trouble processing that thought.

"When?" Gaara repeated.

"When she was over at my house, geez!" Deidara said in exasperation.

"She was over at your house?" Sasuke asked in surprise. He had been quiet up until now. "But don't you live alone?"

"I wouldn't do anything-" Deidara began, but then he caught the look on Gaara's face.

"Don't you dare to do anything to her ever," Gaara threatened with a calm look now on his face.

Deidara glared at Gaara. "Why are you being so protective of her?"

"Why are so concerned about how I feel about her?" Gaara shot back. He looked Deidara in the eye. "You like her, don't you?"

Deidara stiffened. "You definitely do! That's why you're being so overprotective!"

Deidara and Gaara stood there, staring each other down, while Sasuke just stood there awkwardly.

o.O.0.O.o

I'm so sorry it's so short! I'd made it longer, but, I can't continue until I know which pairing it's gonna be.

**I'm gonna leave the poll up to vote for GaaSaku or DeiSaku until SATURDAY, as in this Saturday, July 2nd.**

After that, it will be decided and I can write the next chapter!

Oh, and

READ AND REVIEW! :D


	15. Chapter 15

NEETFIF RETPAHC

Deidara stared at Gaara intensely, not bothering to hide the truth in his eyes.

Gaara was the first to back down.

"I don't…. I don't think I like her…." He said, slowly, as though he was unsure. "I care for her, and I want to protect her, but when I think of that other stuff, you know, like dating, it just feels…. weird."

Deidara looked him up and down, before relaxing as he realized that Gaara was telling the truth. It was a relief to hear that. It was a BIG relief.

"So, you feel kind of like an older brother?" Sasuke suggested.

Gaara thought for a moment. "Kind of, I guess…. But more, I'd say, like that best friend that watches over her. Friend, best friend, or even brother, but just not boyfriend," Gaara said, shaking his head.

Deidara sat down with a _plop_ on Sasuke's bed, which held a soft, feather mattress, the kind Deidara barely even got to touch in the mattress store because of the price.

"You look pretty relieved," Gaara said with a smile coming on his face. He was sitting on a chest in Sasuke's room.

"Shut up," Deidara defended, feeling his cheeks heat up. "It's just that I thought you really liked her, and, well, if it's between you and me, I feel like you'd be the better choice."

"So… what are you going to do?" Sasuke asked, spinning lazily in his desk chair.

Deidara just looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"He means," Gaara butted in, "that you have to go get your girl."

"But she's…." Deidara began, referring to the past episode they had with her.

"No buts," Sasuke lectured.

"… I'll think about what to do," Deidara said after a moment. "We all know there's something about her, and not just oh-she's-a-unique-individual crap that the teachers are giving us."

"Definitely," Gaara breathed, rolling his eyes.

"So that means I can't go about it like she's a normal girl, right? Especially since, you know, she basically just told us to completely stay out of her life." Deidara tried to say that as though he didn't care, but inside it hurt. Real bad. He knew she didn't completely mean it, but the words still floated in his head. "I just… I can't get close to her like before."

Deidara had no clue what to do.

* * *

Sakura arrived home to find Tsunade nowhere to be found, and a list of chores. She picked it up, leaning back against the kitchen counter with a sigh as she looked over the list.

_unload dishwasher_

_sweep back steps_

_assassinate file x2_

_your laundry_

Sakura sighed again. Great. Chores and two assassinations. 'Assassinate file' didn't actually mean she was stabbing paper with a knife, but rather going through the files of people wanted in Konoha, even though not all are to be killed. Tsunade was saying that she could pick two of those people.

_I choose laundry,_ Sakura decided, since she really didn't feel like changing at the moment.

Sakura lazily climbed the steps to her room, grabbing the hamper once inside. She picked clothes off the floor, checking under her bed for any mismatched socks or anything that may have gotten pushed under. When she was done, Sakura took her hamper into the laundry room and threw the clothes in the washer. Afterwards, while the washer was running, Sakura unloaded the dishwasher, putting all the clean dishes back in their place. She retrieved the broom too, quickly sweeping off the back steps which had accumulated leaves and other debris.

The washer still wasn't done, so Sakura headed down to the basement and the secret door down there that led to Tsunade's office. In there was the file cabinet with all the people she was meant to kill, or at least knock out and bring to HQ. The drawer slide open with a clunking noise, the files moving with the motion. Sakura didn't bother to look through the other two drawers, and decided to pick the two from just the top. She flipped though, looking at the corner for red stickers which meant kill, blue which meant bring them back alive, and the occasional purple which meant either.

_Red and purple seem good, _Sakura thought, since she didn't really feel like carrying anybody back.

So Sakura skipped the blue ones, searching for a purple and pulling out a random red file. The purple file was harder to find, considering they were the easiest and therefore her favorite, since it meant you could try and bring them back but if it became a problem, you could just kill them.

The purple file was for a man who was terrorizing citizens, stealing cars, abusing people, damaging property and even murdered someone.

The red file was, surprisingly, for a woman. It didn't even say why Sakura had to kill her, instead all the paper offered was the word _classified_. Which was pretty stupid, if you asked her. This woman was way over on the other side of Konoha, which was a pretty big city, and Sakura frowned at herself for picking it. But, once she picked one, she stuck with it.

Sakura put the two into Tsunade's computer, finding their approximate location/hideout. When that was done, she left the office, walking upstairs to go get her gear and put her clothes in the dryer too.

She had just pressed the button on the dryer to start it when the doorbell rang, which was a surprise. Tsunade wouldn't ring it, of course, and there were also precautions set around the house in case of any enemies that could come upon them. So it either had to be a normal person, or an ANBU agent like her.

When Sakura pulled open the door, she found it was the latter, for Sai stood there in front of him. He used to be her teammate before she went solo; they had bonded somewhat since they were both taken in by ANBU when they were just kids. That didn't happen a lot.

"Sai!" Sakura exclaimed, a smile on her face. She opened the door wider for him to come in. He stepped through, clad in the gear she was about to go get, and that was when Sakura noticed the wounds.

"Hey, Sakura," Sai replied, giving a small smile. "Are you doing anything right now?"

"I was about to go on two little missions, but I can wait," Sakura replied, leading him into the living room where she draped a covering over the couch to keep it clean. She already knew that Sai wanted her to heal him, as it was what he mostly preferred. He had always had a trust issue, and sometimes the other medics he didn't know near his vital organs and such didn't quiet appeal to him. So if Sakura was around, she was the one to heal him.

"I was passing by and I was wondering if you could heal me," Sai said, since it was the polite thing do even though it wasn't necessary.

"Well, lie down here while I go get some bandages," Sakura ordered, going into the bathroom to pull out some of the white bandages. She returned to see Sai lying on the couch, all his upper gear stripped off to show a large red wound on his side. Sakura settled on her knees by the couch.

"What'd you do this time?"

"Just got kind of beat up," he replied simply, closing his eyes as Sakura's healing chakra moved over his body.

They sat in a comfortable silence. Sakura hovered her hands over his body, first healing the medium wounds, leaving the minor ones so she wouldn't use up too much chakra (and also because they physically strengthened a person), and then moved on to the large wound on his side.

"Sword?" Sakura asked.

"Dagger," Sai corrected. "Dug it in and wrenched it around."

It took Sakura a little while to finish the deeper wound, but when she was done, Sai was completely fine. He stood up, turning his upper body back and forth easily.

"Thanks," he said, giving her another of his small smiles. "My missions are done, do you want some company?"

"That would be nice," Sakura said thankfully, and went to get her gear on.

Sai was only going to accompany Sakura for her first mission, because she wasn't going to make him trek all the way out to the other side of Konoha. So, he followed Sakura along, and they watched each other's backs. They found the man holed up in the old rundown basement of an old rundown house. He was alone, and clearly mental. He was talking to himself, and not like your normal everyday person talking to their self, but like crazy talking. A bloody knife was lying on a box in there, along with spare auto parts that he had stolen from cars. The man was occupied with a small TV that was just static, nothing more than the gray and white lines.

Sai and Sakura made the decision of dead rather than alive; the beauties of the purple files.

As they climbed the steps of the old basement, Sai was talking about how strange that TV was. He admitted to not watching much TV, nor knowing anything about it, nor knowing anything about a lot of everyday modern stuff. Sakura felt bad for Sai; at least she was here, going to school and everything. He stayed holed up in headquarters, only out when he was on missions.

Sakura smiled to herself at an idea she had.

"Have you ever had ice cream, Sai?"

* * *

Deidara was hanging out in the mall's food court, sitting backwards at an empty table with his back leaning against it, sipping from a smoothie. It was much better hanging out here sometimes than at home, where the house would grow quiet and lonely. There was a line for the ice cream shop, and Deidara watched as little kids got ice creams way too big for them to finish.

Deidara took another sip, watching all the hustle and bustle and listening to the faint music played overhead. Sometimes, though, coming to the mall made him feel worse. He'd see families, happy and joyful, like his never was. And it pained his heart when he looked at them. He'd see their happy family and be sad.

Today, though, was different. Instead of seeing a happy family, he instead saw a girl walking with a boy. She had pink hair and was smiling as they got in the ice cream line together.

Instead of feeling sad, Deidara got angry. Real angry.

_What the hell? _He thought. _So we all have to stay away from her, but not this guy?_

People began to stare at the boy sitting angrily at the table, his hands gripping the seat so tightly his knuckles were white and in his other hand, the Styrofoam cup was crushed. A glare was on his face.

_That's not right!_ Deidara thought again as he watched the two retrieve their ice cream and sit down. _Why's this guy so special?_

Deidara's jealousy showed pretty obviously, though no one could tell who towards. He continued to sit there, glowering, until the two stood up, even though their ice creams weren't finished. Deidara couldn't resist the urge to follow them, pushing through the crowd. They were leaving through the doors that were in the food court, and Deidara hurried through the crowd and in between tables until he was pushing on the metal doors to go outside.

By the time he was out, they were gone.

* * *

Sakura jumped through the trees as fast as she could without completely warring herself out. The other side of Konoha was pretty far away, and it was already getting dark.

By the time Sakura approached the city where she'd do her mission, she'd already rehearsed what she'd do. If the woman was sleeping, then easy pickings and she could kill her then. If not, well, the plan changes with where in the apartment the woman is located.

Sakura landed on the roof of a building across from the apartment. She then had to move around to the back of the apartment to get out of the road's –more importantly, the people on the road's- view. She saw that two of the windows back there belonged to the target; one was dark, the door closed, and the other was also dark, but the door was open, revealing light coming in from somewhere else. Someone must be awake.

The dark window was her first –and safer- bet, so Sakura stealthily climbed up a nearby tree before jumping to the house, hanging off the windowsill. She pulled herself up a few inches, just enough to look in, and happily saw the woman sound asleep in her bed. So she heaved herself up onto the windowsill and into the window. These older, cheaper apartments didn't have screens on their windows which made it all the more easier for Sakura. She could slip in and out without even bothering with opening and closing the screen.

The woman stayed sound asleep as Sakura dropped in. She was about late twenties or early thirties, which was the only info on her age that that useless _classified_ sheet had given Sakura. The woman, actually, looked so normal and peaceful in her sleep, her eyes relaxed and a soft smile on her face. It didn't seem like she could do anything bad.

Sakura didn't hesitate in pulling out her dagger. Everyone looked like that when they slept.

Sakura braced herself, ready to jump out the window if someone came, ready for the pressure of making a precise stab, ready for the blood that would come afterwards. _Kill_, a little voice in her mind said with menace. Sakura twirled the dagger around in one hand, grabbed the handle with both, and raised it above her head. Then, she pushed it down with all her strength, speed, and precision.

She stopped.

One inch above that woman's heart, the dagger floated there, sharp tip waving slowly in hesitation, barely back and forth, gleaming once in the moonlight. Sakura stared straight ahead though, looking into those small, bright eyes of the baby lying in the crib on the other side of the room. Staring at her, staring at its mother, staring at the dagger.

Sakura's mind instantly flashed back to the memory she had from when she was a child. The dagger, the evil grin, the blood.

Sakura almost dropped the dagger where she stood, but caught it before it fell with a clatter, also cutting her hand in the process. Sakura scrambled out of the apartment, out of that room, away from guilt that was starting to gnaw at her. Away from those knowing eyes watching her, judging her.

She ran.

* * *

It took all of Sakura's will power not to cry. She just ran, jumped, hopped, anything to get away. She was thinking of the same three things over and over; the disturbing memory of her childhood, the baby, watching her from its crib as she was about to kill its mother, and the fact that _she almost did it anyways_.

_I'm becoming a monster,_ Sakura thought, and wanted to go tell Tsunade. She wanted to tell her that she wanted to stop training, stop missions, stop the killing, and go to school to hang out with Gaara and Deidara and Ino and Hinata and Naruto and even Sasuke. Sakura actually ended up outside her house upon the influence of those thoughts. But instead of walking in and confronting her mentor, Sakura skirted around back to her window, climbing in and changing so she wouldn't be seen in such an outfit.

Then, she sped away again, just wanting the comfort of good times. She wanted to go sit on that bench and listen to music with Gaara, fight with Deidara, listen to Deidara (she didn't think anyone ever really did), go to the mall and get ice cream with those two and Sasuke, hid from Kakashi, call Ino a few mean names without really meaning them. She thought back to all the moments she'd had, and realized that soon, and if not, one day they'd all be _gone gone gone_.

That night. When Sakura had stayed at Deidara's house. What would he remember? Leaving the mall, coming home, making pancakes to eat by himself, and then drawing before he went to bed? Would he not remember how he had helped her, how she'd listened to him, how they just came together that night? Would it not make sense to him at all?

Sakura briefly wondered why she was thinking about Deidara so much. Deep inside, she knew the answer. She just wouldn't –_couldn't_- admit it.

No more friends. No more school. No more teachers, no more inside jokes, no more sitting on benches with red heads, no more girls with pearl eyes, no more ice cream breaks, no more funny-shaped black eyes, no more caring boys to seek her out, no more of this life she'd come to love.

No more sanity.

Sakura suddenly realized where she was. She was walking along the road to Deidara's house. This was also the road that Gaara had walked down with her that day it was raining after detention.

Sakura suddenly realized that her head was about to explode from the tears behind her eyes, her chest from the sobs building up in her lungs, her heart from the terrible ache. But she couldn't let it out.

Sakura suddenly realized the boy standing in front of her.

He was staring at her with those blue eyes his, though the one was covered by blonde hair. He just looked at her softly, standing there with his thumbs in his pockets. Casual. Relaxed. Normal. He just looked at her because he knew there was a ton of inner turmoil in her. It was evident.

"Sakura?"

And she broke.

o.O.0.O.o

Whoa, an extra long chapter! Like, a 1,000 words or more extra! :D

So I don't know if this story is winding down or just starting up, but I do like it a lot. ^^

New poll on my profile! About what story's next since the other is done. Though I might wait and focus on this story a while first.

I used a bad wordie in this chapter. D: xD

READ AND REVIEW~! :D :D


	16. Chapter 16

NEETXIS RETPAHC

Sakura had just felt the first tears running down her face when his arms were around her, holding her tightly. She cried more, and soon the sobs were racking her body and she was having trouble standing. Her legs felt like jelly and she felt like just falling, but Deidara's arms held her up. Since they were, in fact, on the side of the road, Deidara turned and led her to his house.

"Shhh," Deidara soothed after they had come inside. He wrapped his arms around her again and Sakura buried her face in his shirt. He didn't ask what was wrong. He didn't try to get her to explain why she was like this, he just comforted her. They were then sitting on the floor, Deidara with his back against the couch and his legs crossed, and Sakura, with her legs bent to the side, half on Deidara's lap as she held onto him.

"Deidara," Sakura sniffled.

"I'm here," he said softly.

"I'm so sorry."

"I know," he replied, and they didn't speak again that night.

Sakura just cried with the warmth and comfort around her. She just let it all out, and right when she thought she was done, a memory would pop up and it all started again.

Sakura woke up with her eyes still closed, but she could still tell two things; that it was warm and she wasn't on the floor anymore. When she opened her eyes, she was met with the t-shirt wall of Deidara's chest. They were facing each other, Deidara's arms still around her as she was curled into him. Sakura also discovered that they were on the couch.

Sakura had no clue what time it was, but all she wanted to do was stay there and go back to sleep.

_I wonder what he'll remember about last night after I'm gone,_ she thought bitterly, thinking of what memory would fill this one's place, and almost started to cry again. But she was all cried out, and the thought of her being gone from Deidara's life, gone from his memory, made her carefully get up. She walked towards the door, finding her shoes and slipping them on before reaching for the doorknob.

"You're leaving again?"

Sakura paused with her hand resting on the doorknob, and dared a look behind her.

Deidara was still on the couch, but now he was on his back and slightly propped up against the armrest so he could see her better. His mouth was in a normal position, like he was just sitting there and nothing else, but his blue eyes were hurt.

"I-"

"You're making it hard for us," Deidara interrupted. He was quiet for a beat. Quieter, he added, "You're making it hard for _me_."

"I don't mean to," Sakura replied, her head now back facing the door. She couldn't help it, being with her and in her life made it hard for anyone.

"But you are."

"I don't _want_ to."

"Then why say all that stuff? Why leave _us_ if you don't want _us_ to leave _you_?"

"Because," Sakura answered, just like a child who didn't want to explain.

"Sakura," Deidara said sternly. He was standing now.

"Don't," she replied as he took a step towards her. She knew what was coming; if he embraced her now she'd never leave.

Deidara stopped. "… just tell me. Tell me anything, tell me one of your secrets that you're hiding from us. Tell me what it is in your life that's shaping you, your actions. There has to be some reason why you just cried basically all night. Just _talk_ to me. Please, Sakura."

_Please, Sakura._ The words echoed back in her head.

Sakura thought for a moment. She couldn't tell him too much, of course, but he deserved something. After everything that happened, and everything that was going to happen, he deserved something.

"It's a secret," she began, and her words caused Deidara to groan. "I'm serious. Like, a _real_ secret. Confidential type things that I can't tell you."

"Is there anything you _can_ tell me?" Deidara asked immediately, a bitter harshness in his voice.

Sakura tried not to flinch at the tone of his voice. "The only thing I can risk telling you is that it's an important job I have to do. Okay? Like, I've had to move before because of it, quite a few times actually, and I'm almost constantly in thought about it to where it never leaves my mind and shapes everything I do or say, and it attracts not always the best people. And those people will even go as low as to get the ones close to me. I-" Sakura stopped, biting her lip to prevent herself from saying anymore.

"So… you were protecting us from getting hurt?" Deidara asked upon hearing that last part.

Sakura nodded.

"That's so stupid," he spluttered, staring at her. "I mean, we're teenage boys, we can take care of ourselves! Anything you can handle I'm sure we can! And according to what you said, you sound like some- some secret princess or something!"

Sakura's laugh suddenly filled the room.

"Far from it," Sakura said.

"Princesses don't have to get their hands dirty," she added quietly, and, not knowing if he heard that last part or not, Sakura put all her willpower into turning the doorknob and walking out.

It was hard.

* * *

"_Hello?"_

"Gaara?" Deidara asked.

"…_. Is this Deidara? How'd you get my cell?"_

"I have my resources," Deidara answered quickly before moving on. "Look, I need to talk to you."

"_Now? Listen, I'm kind of busy doing my essay-"_

"It's about Sakura," Deidara interrupted. He listened into the phone for an answer. It was quiet.

"…_. go ahead,"_ Gaara replied.

Deidara let out a breathe. "She…. I was walking, last night, and I saw her on the side of the road, down the street from my house. When she looked at me, she was just so…. I mean, sh-she looked so hurt, so broken."

"_Why?"_

"I don't know," Deidara replied. "I didn't ask. Well, actually, I did, today."

"_Today? So she stayed with you overnight?"_

A blush ran across Deidara's face. He was glad Gaara couldn't see it. "I had brought her back to my house and she cried most of the night, so then I just stayed with her."

"_I'll let it go for now, but go ahead."_

"So, this morning, when I woke up, she was just about to leave. I was talking to her, and well, she actually told me something."

"_What?"_ Gaara said, a curious tone in his voice.

"She…. she was acting like this to protect us, protect all of us. She said that she has to do this job, and it's this really big secret that's confidential and she can't tell us at all. And with that job, people will even try to get to her by hurting the ones close to her. Which would be us."

"_Us,"_ Gaara repeated._ "But who's she protecting us from? Or _what_?"_

"That's the thing, I don't know!" Deidara said exasperatedly.

"_There's no way to find anything out about this girl unless she tells you, is there?"_

"I'd say," Deidara sighed. He put a hand to his forehead as he thought. "The teachers are no help and Tsunade sent us away, denying everything we said. She has no friends at school that know her. We know nothing of her family. Where can we go?"

"_Well, what about her house?"_

"Her house?"

"_Yeah, I know about where it is. I walked her home once. I'm sure we could find it."_

Deidara sat there for a moment, thinking.

"Call up Sasuke and tell him to cancel any plans. Then meet me out front of the school."

* * *

"Did Gaara fill you in?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, looking at Deidara. "Yeah, he did."

Gaara shifted his weight. The three were quiet for a moment.

"So, where did you go from here?" Deidara asked, turning his attention to Gaara.

"Left," he replied, and they started walking.

Gaara led the other two down the same path he had walked with Sakura. They turned down a few wrong roads, but they got back on track soon enough. Finally, they stopped.

"Trees," Sasuke said, stating the obvious.

"Thanks for telling us," Deidara replied sarcastically. He turned his attention to Gaara. "Now where?"

"I don't know," Gaara answered. "She had me leave here, and then ran off into the trees. I guess we should just follow around the trees. She has to have a driveway."

They set off again, skirting around the trees, and went a lot farther down the road than they thought. It actually turned to dirt, and the sound of cars had grown quiet, and then almost non-existent.

"There!" Deidara shouted loudly, then covered his hand with his mouth. His voice echoed slightly in the quiet.

"Stupid," Sasuke hissed, whacking Deidara in the arm.

Deidara hit him back, and then they were both pushing and scuffling around.

"You're _both_ idiots," Gaara growled, and walked ahead to where Deidara had pointed. There was a driveway, a long dirt one.

Deidara followed behind him after giving Sasuke one last shove. When he looked down the driveway, he couldn't see the end because it curved off into the trees.

_Great, more walking,_ Deidara mentally groaned.

"We should follow down until we see the house, then curve around into the woods and go towards the back," Gaara strategized.

"Why are we sneaking around back?" Deidara asked.

"Do you want to go up and knock on the door?" Sasuke asked. "Hello, can we ask about any confidential secrets and snoop around your house?" he asked in a false, sarcastic tone. "Whoever answers the door won't go for that."

"Okay, geesh, no need to be so mean," Deidara grumbled, and they set off again.

"This is definitely suspicious," Sasuke said quietly.

"You mean how her house is down an old dirt road a few miles away from the roads and buildings, and is also deep in the woods?" Deidara asked.

"Yeah, that," Sasuke said.

"It is," Gaara agreed.

They kept walking for about a minute, when Gaara, who was still in the lead, stopped. They all looked ahead to see a tan house, sitting in the grass. From here the trees had thinned out, and they could see a spacious yard behind the house.

"There," he said.

o.O.0.O.o

Yaaay, chapter up! :3 Sorry for the cliff hanger-ish ending. D: It was kind of fast-paced too... sorry. )x

So….. I'm going on vacation this week, which means I'll have lots of time to type during the seven hour car ride. XD

Then I'll have another week, and the week after I'm at camp so that means NO TYPE-Y. :C But I do get ideas while I'm there. :D

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!**


	17. Chapter 17

NEETNEVES RETPAHC

Deidara stared at the house. It was normal –at least it looked normal- and it was quiet. Yet, there was also something off about it. Something different. Deidara watched the house, staring at the door. He wished that Sakura would walk out the door, saying that everything was okay, that _she_ was okay. He imagined her running out and crashing into him with a hug, holding him tightly as he hugged her back, and she clung to him, nudging him in the side impatiently with her elbow…

Wait, what?

"Go check the garage for her motorcycle or any cars," Gaara hissed in his ear.

Deidara snapped out of it, nodding his head. He crept into the woods behind Gaara and Sasuke, who hid behind a large bush with small white flowers. Deidara continued ahead, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible by avoiding sticks, dead leaves, and stepping as lightly as he could. He felt pretty proud of his sneaking skills.

Once he had circled around the house to the side of the garage, he darted out of the woods, stopping with his back against the garage right beside the side door. He took a few breathes, then slowly leaned his head around to peak into the window of the door.

Nothing.

Deidara relaxed, turning to where Gaara and Sasuke were hidden, and shook his head back and forth. The other two slowly crept out, still staying away from the front door and windows. They met up with Deidara at the garage, crouching down below the window.

"There's no one home," he reported.

"But there still could be," Sasuke replied. "We don't know if there's still someone left while all the others are out."

"Maybe she has eight brothers and sisters and her parents took their car and someone else took Sakura's motorcycle. Maybe there's actually a ton of people in there," Gaara said.

"Considering how quiet it is, I doubt that," Deidara said while rolling his eyes.

"I'm just saying to be careful," Sasuke said.

"Okay," Gaara said shortly. "Let's go."

They crept around the back, deeming it safer than the front. From here they could see that the house was dark and silent, and decided that there was most likely no one home. No one was in the backyard either, but there was something.

"What are these?" Sasuke wondered, walking up and touching one. There were about a dozen or more of the objects scattered around the yard, all made out of wood, and all formed in the vague shape of a human. They spun around their bases, rocked back-and-forth, and the arms even swung around.

"They seem like…. dummies," Gaara suggested.

"Yeah," Sasuke agreed. "And look; they're beat up and glued back together in some places."

"This is really strange," Gaara decided. "What do you think they could be used for?"

"Well, it seems like there was damaged inflicted on them and-" Sasuke stopped. "Deidara? Are you okay?"

Deidara had stopped in front of one, staring at it. For a long time. He carefully laid a hand on the wood, running it across the wood arm.

Something was going on in his head. These were familiar; he'd seen them before. But where? A movie? No, it seemed bigger than that. It was buried deep inside his mind, trying to get out.

"I know these…" he said out loud.

"How?" Gaara asked, walking over. "What are they?"

"I don't know," Deidara replied. "But I recognize them."

"Well, that's helpful," Sasuke said sarcastically.

Deidara glared at him, but Gaara just sighed.

"Let's get inside," he said, giving the dummies one lat glance before turning towards the glass-sliding door. Curtains were pulled across it most of the way, but from what he could see Deidara knew it was the living room on the other side.

Gaara pulled at the handle, but it was locked.

"I'll check the windows," Deidara offered, and walked to the nearest one.

It had little green curtains on the inside, and when Deidara poked his head over the windowsill he saw that it was the kitchen. When he pulled at the actual window itself, it didn't budge. There were two other windows that he couldn't see in, but they were locked too. Deidara looked up, and spotted another window that caught his eye for two reasons; one, it was cracked open just about an inch, meaning that it was _unlocked_ and two, he was pretty sure that it was Sakura's room.

Deidara walked over so that he was underneath the window. It was on the second floor of the house, but there was a tree with a large branch sprouting out about three feet from the window.

"It seems like we're not getting in through the door or anywhere around the back," Sasuke's voice rang out. "We can send one person around front to-"

"What the heck, Deidara?" Gaara called out.

Deidara stopped climbing the tree to look back at them. "What? I think I can get in through that window."

"But what if you can't and fall and break your neck? Sakura will come home to find a broken Deidara in her backyard. It'll be easier to go around front," Gaara reasoned.

"All the front windows are probably locked too," Deidara shot back. "I'm going to try."

_I have to try,_ Deidara thought. Sakura's room had to hold some secrets. It had to tell him something.

Deidara was now level in height with the window. All he had to do was crawl across that branch to the window, and so he started forward. It was hard to get around and over some of the tiny little branches that stuck up, for they caught on his clothes, and his feet were only going about two inches per step. As he slowly made his way out, the branch started to bend, scaring him a little. Once he was in an arm's length of the window he grabbed the bottom, pushing it up. The window didn't budge at first, so he pushed harder, when suddenly it shot up, causing Deidara to lurch forward and lose his footing momentarily. His hands shot forward to grab the windowsill and he laid his body flat on the branch, one leg curled up against it and the other dangling off the tree branch.

He looked ahead at the open window, and slowly went towards it. Once he got there, he lowered himself down onto the carpet.

He was in.

Sakura's room was a little different than he imagined. The walls were a jade green, and the floor was a mess, covered in clothes and other junk. Her ceiling fan was running on the lowest setting, lazily spinning around. Deidara wanted to look at her room more, but an impatient knock came from downstairs.

Deidara rushed down, unlocking the sliding door so that Gaara and Sasuke could step in.

"We're finally in," Sasuke said. "So… now what?"

"I guess we just start looking around," Gaara said. "Try to find stuff out about her. We should split up."

"I feel like a stalker," Sasuke said as he walked over and went through the papers on the coffee table.

"We _are_ stalkers," Deidara said with a laugh, and set to work looking through the kitchen.

Deidara started with the counter, looking at the papers there. There wasn't really anything except opened mail, which didn't give him any info. In the cupboards, he found nothing special, just the normal bowls and plates and other stuff.

_Come on, give me something,_ he thought, moving around the kitchen.

"Find anything yet?" Gaara's voice came from the living room.

"No!" Deidara hollered, and Sasuke shouted the same reply.

Deidara moved to the fridge. There wasn't a lot on it, but there was something. There was a picture of Sakura and the principal, Tsunade, which Deidara thought was really strange. There was also old to-do lists and a new yellow post-it note stuck in the middle of it all.

_Healing Session 3:30_

"Hey, I found some stuff!" Deidara called. He heard footsteps until Gaara and Sasuke popped into the kitchen. He handed Gaara the note.

"Healing session?" he read. "What's that mean?"

"I don't know, but look at this then." Deidara pulled down the two to-do lists off the fridge, handing one to each of the two.

"It's just a list of chores," Sasuke said.

"That one is," Deidara agreed, "but that one…."

"Assassinate two files," Gaara read aloud.

"Assassinate is to kill, right?" Deidara said. "But how can you kill a file? It doesn't make sense."

"It's got to mean something else, like maybe what's in the file," Gaara thought.

"Well, let's start by looking for a file cabinet," Sasuke suggested.

"Sure," Gaara agreed, hanging the lists back on the fridge.

The three walked out of the kitchen and dining room, and into the hallway on the other side of the staircase. They walked down the hall, opening the doors to find a bathroom (with a larger than normal supplies of bandages), a closet, and then they came upon a bedroom.

"Is this her parents'?" Deidara wondered aloud.

"Might be," Gaara said, walking over and inspecting the desk.

Deidara hung behind, looking around. He felt kind of…. off. He didn't know what it was. Something about this room maybe. He looked around, trying to find something, yet seeing nothing out of the ordinary; shoes, clothes, papers.

Deidara eyes hit a shirt with a symbol on it. A type of vertical swirly design that he knew he'd seen before; seeing it gave him the same feeling as those wood statues out in the backyard. He racked his brain, but still nothing. Deidara looked around the room again, trying to find something else. He saw a painting hanging over the bed.

He froze.

It was a white mask with a swirling red design.

It all flooded back to him in just a second.

There was the guy who had followed Sakura, driving down the street after her, and then Deidara running after them for what seemed like miles; the secret underground tunnel, the large organization of those people living and training there, the wooden dummies that they punched, kicked, and broke; the interrogation room, that same man now tied to a chair, someone in that same outfit that had saved them, the swirling red and white mask, and that pink -bubblegum pink- hair.

Deidara stumbled backwards with wide eyes. He felt his back hit a small table behind him, and he crashed into it, knocking the items on top to the floor with a clatter. He butt hit the floor, but he just sat there. Gaara and Sasuke spun around at the crash, hurrying over to him.

"I remember now," Deidara whispered, looking up at them. "She's the one that was there. She's the one that saved us. _She's an assassin_."

o.O.0.O.o

You need to work on your climbing skills, Deidara. xD And yaaay, he remembered! The ANBU mask jogged his memory. The ANBU people really need to work on their memory erasing stuff. D:

Your secret is out, Sakura. :O OMGZ.

Soo, yeah… **NEW POLL ON MY PROFILE** so vote if you want a say in what the pairing of my next story will be. If no one votes within a week, I'll decide myself. xD

My vacation is almost over. :0

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!


	18. Chapter 18

NEETHGIE RETPAHC

Silence.

"She's a _what_?" Gaara said in disbelief.

"An assassin!" Deidara said, his voice rising as he scrambled up. "We- we need to get out!"

"Are you okay, Deidara?" Sasuke asked, staring at him worriedly. Neither him nor Gaara made a move to leave. "You're acting really weird…"

Deidara was frantically putting everything back how it was. "You guys don't understand! You didn't see what I saw! I remember that day, I know what happened, but right now, we _need to get out!_"

"Deidara, what are you freaking out so much about-"

"That day!" Deidara interrupted, turning around to them. He looked around the room, wanting to get out. It wasn't just a friendly home anymore. "When the school was attacked, remember? Those were Sakura's enemies! It wasn't just a _prank_, it was a real attack, un!" Deidara briefly noted how his little speech impediment had returned after it had faded away.

"What are you saying?" Sasuke said.

Deidara blanched at him. He'd already said it about _three times_, but oh well, once more.

"She's an assassin," Deidara said, stressing the word. "She's a highly skilled _warrior_ of some sort, and she's the one that came in and saved us from all those guys, un. She does so many things we never would have thought she'd do."

Gaara and Sasuke looked at each other.

"If she's an assassin, then she must…." Gaara paused. "Kill people, right?"

Deidara stood there with a grim face.

"Yeah, she does."

* * *

Sakura had walked as far as she could from Deidara's house, trying to get away. She walked to a more deserted part of town, where she only passed few people. This way there were less people to look at her, to notice the obvious signs of her all night crying.

She knew she had made a mistake. She should have never talked to any of them, way back on that first day of school. They all knew there was something about her now, they suspected that she wasn't what she said she was. Now, they're trying to help her.

And she halfway wants to let them.

_But_, she can't. That's why she should never had let Gaara walk her home, should have never stayed with Deidara after the mall fiasco, she should have stopped them from coming after her when the school was attacked; she should have made sure the three boys couldn't find her and talk to her at the football field. She _easily_ could have just disappeared. She had been trained in it, but she didn't, because deep down she wanted them to find her and she wanted them to talk to her and comfort her.

Sakura should never have let Deidara hold her as she cried.

_I'm an idiot_, Sakura thought, glaring at the ground as she walked.

She heard giggles and looked up, seeing through a nearby window. Three girls were still in their pajamas in front of the TV, their sleeping bags and pillows strewn across the floor. They giggled and laughed together.

Sakura mind brought up Ino and Hinata. She suddenly pictured them in that same position, giggling about how loud Naruto was and how Sasuke was so…. Sasuke. Ino was braiding Hinata's hair and talked about how she should die her hair blue to match her friends' unique colors. Sakura would laugh and call her a name.

Sakura had to force herself to walk away.

Soon Sakura was away from the small, close houses and the road turned dirt as the sidewalk stopped. Few houses were along the road, plenty of space in between them, and were either in a field or behind the trees. Sakura figured she'd better get home before Tsunade had her head.

_All I have to do is keep on this road until I see that old brick house_, Sakura thought, picturing the route in her head. _Then I can cut through the woods, and try to find that four-wheeler path which would-_

Sakura's thoughts cut off abruptly as she spun around, ducking down and dodging the knife just in time. As her offender was swiping where her head used to be, Sakura stayed low and delivered a kick to his stomach, making him double over. She kneed his face, grabbed his shirt, bringing him up, then punched him, sending some blood from his nose.

The masked man feebly tried to get her with his knife again, but Sakura had his arm and he was disarmed within seconds. She grabbed both his arms, pulling them behind his head and forcing him to his knees, placing her foot on his back.

"Too easy," she hissed in his ear. She hadn't even had a weapon on her; just her fists. "Who are you?"

"I don't have to answer to _you_," he spat, struggling to escape her grasp.

"That's fine, because I can plainly see the sound symbol right _here_," she replied, kicking him in the back where the music note was. He coughed.

"Like it's such a surprise that I'm from Sound," the man growled, still struggling.

"So why did Orochimaru send you?" Sakura asked. She looked behind her to make sure there was still no one on the road. She needed to get rid of this guy quick, before someone saw.

"To try and kill you," the man replied simply.

"Oh _please_," Sakura said, clearly unbelieving. "That can't be it. Orochimaru has sent some of his most skilled warriors after me and I've defeated them _all_. There's no way you would have been able to kill me."

"But you haven't killed me yet, have you? So you haven't truly defeated me. I could turn around right now and defeat _you_."

"I could have killed you within that first five seconds," Sakura hissed. _Only three,_ Sakura thought smugly, _if I had a weapon._

"Your mistake then," the guy said with a shrug, and suddenly he evaporated into a smoke, rising into the air as Sakura stumbled from the sudden lack of an anchor.

Sakura sighed, looking up at the sky where he had disappeared. "And that's why I always try to at least knock them out first."

And she continued walk.

* * *

Deidara had explained everything to the two. They agreed that it made sense, and believed him.

They had went back through the house, placing everything how it was, now aware that Sakura would be able to figure out if someone had been there.

"I'm going to go check up stairs," Deidara said, climbing up the stairs.

Deidara hadn't even bothered with the other rooms before, so he left them alone now and headed to Sakura's room. As he walked in, he slowed down for a moment. He looked around, taking in her room.

In the frame of her mirror, there were three photos and two small papers. The first photo was of Sakura and two adults; a woman with red-pink hair and a man with light brown hair. Considering the woman's strange hair color, Deidara guessed that they were Sakura's parents. The three were smiling, and Sakura was very young.

One of the other two photos was of Sakura and the principal with their arms around each other's shoulders, grinning like they'd just won something. (This picture was very strange. Why would Sakura be with the principal?)

The last photo made Deidara jealous. It was of Sakura and that pale boy he'd seen with her at the ice cream shop in the mall. He had that same stupid little smile, and his hand was on Sakura's shoulder as Sakura gave him a side hug.

Deidara scoffed, turning away from the mirror to close the window how it had been before.

When he turned back around, the two papers caught his eye. One was a piece of notebook paper with doodles all over it, and he saw some of them signed by _Sakura_ or some had _Gaara_ scribbled underneath them.

The other paper made him stop completely. It was the picture of him that she had drawn when she stayed at his house; he was there, next to his motorcycle, a cool, matching outfit on him. It was exactly like him, and he wished he did have those clothes, but there was still something missing.

His face.

Deidara smiled to himself. _She still can't draw faces._ For a moment he felt like it was how it used to be, when Sakura hung out with them, and they teased each other, but laughed together. Even if she was laughing at him, Deidara was fine with it since he got to hear her laugh. See her smile.

"Deidara!" Gaara's voice called up to him, telling him they needed to go.

Deidara turned away, walking out the door.

He wasn't sure if that time would ever come back. He wasn't sure if he'd ever hear that laugh or see that smile again.

* * *

o.O.0.O.o

Guys, I have like NO CLUE about what's going to happen. xD I'm being honest here, I really need to think about it. That's why this chapter is so short.

Sai's probably going to come back in soon, cuz Deidara doesn't really like him. xD So will the Smoke Guy that attacked Sakura, expect for him to come back too!

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~! :D :D

I seriously love those awesome reviews some people give that make me get that stupid happy grin on my face. xD

I don't own any of these characters by the way. T.T


	19. Chapter 19

NEETENIN RETPAHC

Silence. A moment of nothing. No one moved.

Then, they all went into action. Dinner was forgotten. Tsunade and Kakashi went to the head ANBU base (there were several ANBU bases around Konoha; it was big city) while Shizune went to send out word to the others. Sai and Sakura ran to the basement, to Tsunade's office.

"Okay," Sakura said. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she struggled to stay calm. "First, we have to hide the important things."

As Sai gathered the documents, Sakura placed her hand on the floor, sending her chakra into it. Her bright green chakra ran around the outline of a square, and a hatch opened. Underneath was a secret vault.

"Put as much as you can in here," Sakura ordered. "First put in the documents about the organization; the ones in the file cabinet don't necessarily need to go in."

Sai nodded, putting the papers and folders inside as Sakura helped. After it was full, Sakura locked the vault, placed a chakra seal on it, then a chakra barrier, and closed the hatch which disappeared back into the floor.

Sakura and Sai ran out the door, and as it disappeared back into the wall. They combined their strength in making another sealed chakra barrier along that wall. As they ran up the basement stairs, Sakura placed an explosive seal underneath for safety.

_No one is getting these secrets_, Sakura thought.

* * *

Sakura and Sai arrived at the ANBU base to see people running everywhere.

The ANBU agents were preparing for battle; wearing their uniforms, putting on armor, strapping on weapons, wrapping protective bandages around bare skin, placing their masks on their heads. The doctors were also preparing; collecting bandages, making special potions with healing properties, chakra enhancers, and the such. Some were also getting ready to go out and heal on the battlefield.

The home-base team was off in a room deeper in the base. They were the true HQ; they were the strategists, the military leaders, the ones who had special abilities that helped out greatly. Sakura and Sai ran in.

"Tsunade!" Sakura shouted upon seeing her teacher. "What's going on?"

"They're sending out a chakra sensor," Tsunade said, jerking her head towards a group of ANBU who had their eyes closed, focusing. "It will take them a while, but they should be able to pinpoint any large amounts of chakra."

Sakura walked up to the table Tsunade was at. It was a large square in the center of the room, and a detailed map of Konoha was placed on the top. Pieces were already being placed on the map; red figurines for the ANBU, black figurines for the enemy.

"There's bases in all these places," Tsunade explained as she stood at what was deemed the head of the table. She gestured to the clumps of red figures in five different spots around Konoha. "There will be about half of the agents of each base staying behind to guard it, who will also go elsewhere on guard duty. They'll stay on defense." Tsunade pulled half the figures away from each base. "We have approximately 5,000 men and women. So right now there's only 2,500. But, some of the agents will have to be in charge of taking care of civilians and getting them to safety. Each base should send out about 100 agents to do that job. You getting this, Sai?"

Sai nodded, continuing to write on his scroll. As he finished, it transformed into four small birds and flew away, to go inform the other ANBU bases.

"Kakashi, I'm putting you in charge of picking the hundred out of our base," Tsunade said. "They'll have to have patience and compassion to deal with all the civilians."

Kakashi nodded. He slipped away.

"So that's 500 agents gone to help the civilians, bringing us down to 2,000, though once all the civilians are safe then they can rejoin the battle on offense. The rest of us-"

"We have it!" a voice shouted, interrupting Tsunade. It was someone from the chakra-sensor team; everyone turned to look at him. It was Fu, the man that had interrogated Deidara.

_Deidara._

Sakura's heart clenched. She pushed the feeling away; she had other things to focus on.

"We've picked up their locations!" Fu was already placing black figures in different spots around the map; all along the edge. Sakura recognized one spot being the park she'd investigated and hung out with Gaara at.

_Gaara_.

Sakura shook her head to try and clear it.

Sakura looked back down at the map and became worried. Everyone around the table had become grave. There was six, seven, eight, _nine_, there were nine spots covered in black figurines. Tsunade looked up at Fu.

"Do you have an estimate on their numbers?" she asked quietly.

Fu looked up gravely. "About 7,000 men, Tsunade."

Tsunade's head dropped for a moment and she let out a sigh. She brought her head back up though, and her eyes shone with determination.

"We'll need some strategies."

* * *

It was early morning.

The sun was beginning to rise over the rock monument that towered over Konoha, as a chilly mist covered a ground, about to disappear at the sun's rays.

Everything was quiet; not too many people were out yet. Kids and teenagers were on their way to school. The birds slept, their usually singing absent.

They were ready; all the ANBU agents were where they were supposed to be. They were medically prepared, their strategies were planned out, their weapons had been sharpened. Everything was set, and everyone was waiting. Waiting for the signal.

Sakura's heart was beating heavily in her chest; she was scared. She was worried. She was _excited_.

Everyone shifted their weight, eyes on Tsunade. They were watching her, waiting for her to make a move.

"Sound the alarm," Tsunade ordered.

And the alarm sounded.

o.O.0.O.o

OH NO, I made a short chapter. Like reeaaally short. DX You guys can virtually slap me a few times.

BUT WAIT! Put that hand down; before you slap me, I want to let you know I just stopped it because it seemed like the end of the chapter. I'll get the next one up soon, I promise! It'll be before school starts, DEFINITELY!

Wow, 2,000 to 7,000 are not very good odds, I'm not sure what will happen… OH WAIT YEAH I DO. :D

So… yeah. It's been kind of busy lately so I haven't gotten to write….. sorry 'bout that. D:

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!


	20. Chapter 20

YTNEWT RETPAHC

The school was in panic.

No one knew what the alarm meant, so all the students were freaking out. Even Deidara, though he didn't show it. This wasn't a fire drill or tornado warning; that's why the teachers weren't calm either. Though, the teachers seemed to have an idea about what it meant. It's like they knew ye they didn't. But, they wouldn't tell.

"Class, you'll be leaving early today." Kakashi hadn't been in homeroom so far that morning, but now he suddenly appeared. He was calm. "We're going to try to get most of you to your families and then to safety from there."

"What do you mean, _safety_?" a student asked worriedly. "What's there to be safe from?"

"Follow me," Kakashi ordered, ignoring the question.

"_What_ is going on?" Deidara wondered as he fell in step next to Gaara.

"I really have no clue. But this alarm," Gaara said, glancing around, "isn't just in the school. It seems like it's sounding all over."

That's when Deidara realized the lights of the school alarm weren't flashing. The noise was coming from outside; and Gaara was right, it seemed like it echoed all over.

Kakashi led them outside of the school. Everyone else was out there, all the students clumped together. The teachers were splitting them off into groups. Each of the five groups had a tall, serious looking man in front of them.

Kakashi turned around. "Get in a group of three. Stay with that group _no matter what happens_." His one eye held a look of complete seriousness.

Okay, like that wouldn't freak anyone out. But everyone complied; Deidara, of course, joined together with Gaara and Sasuke. He noticed that Naruto, Ino, and Hinata were together.

Despite the situation, Naruto whined, "Why do I have to be with girls? Especially Ino?"

"Shut up, Whiskers!" Ino shouted angrily, punching him in the arm. "We need you for protection! We're girls!"

Deidara instantly thought of someone else. Where was she? She hadn't shown up at school. It seemed like forever since he'd last seen her; ever since that episode at his house. About how _she_ was protecting _them_.

Deidara was being pulled along. He looked up to see that his group along was being sent towards one of the larger groups. It seemed that they had been the last homeroom, for when their class had been dispersed, the men set out in different directions, telling the students to follow. The teachers hung around the outside of the groups.

"Where are you taking us?" Someone had the nerve to yell to the guy in the front. He glanced back before continuing to walk forward. He seemed calm, just walking down the sidewalk.

"Somewhere safe," he replied, repeating the same answer Kakashi had given.

Deidara looked around as they walked, wondering what was going on. What was there to be safe from? A hurricane? A bombing?

It was sunny out. It actually was a nice day. Yet, there wasn't the usual movement out on the streets. No bike riders, joggers, ladies pushing baby carriages. The houses seemed dark, quiet, and empty.

The birds still sung though. It was a clear sound that came through the air. He could just barely hear it over the alarm.

Deidara felt someone in front of him and stopped walking before he ran into them. Everyone had paused. The man was standing in front of a sewer hatch, and when he opened it, there was a ladder leading down. But, it didn't smell, and Deidara could see light shining up from underneath.

"Go down one by one," the man was explaining. "Stay calm and hold on tight, it's a pretty long climb. But you still have to be quick. An experienced member will go first."

"An experienced member?" Gaara said, quiet enough to where the man didn't hear. "Member of what?"

But one of the teachers went down first, and then the students started to follow. It seemed kind of strange; here he was, on a perfect, sunny day, waiting to climb down the sewer hole. And for some reason, everyone was quiet and had calmed. Maybe everyone had decided that this was just some weird dream.

About half the group had disappeared from view. Deidara was waiting. He wondered what was down there. He assumed that this was the safe place. Deidara didn't know how long they-

Suddenly it was cold. Everyone stopped, looking up. The sky was darkening, the clouds covering the sun, sending shadows over everything. The birds stopped chirping.

"Hurry!" the man said, breaking out of the trance. He encouraged people down faster.

Deidara itched to go down now. He had a bad feeling about it, just like everyone else probably did.

A flash.

Deidara looked towards where the movement had come from.

A blur of pink passing in between the buildings.

_Sakura_.

Deidara glanced over at the man who was busy with helping kids down quickly. The teachers were also occupied.

Deidara shot away, in between the buildings and in the direction he'd seen her go.

* * *

At first, when he'd heard the footsteps pounding behind him, he panicked. Deidara sped up a little, worriedly looking behind him, then stopped.

"Copycats," he accused lightly.

"Last time you ran off we missed all the fun," Gaara replied, smirking.

"We just couldn't miss out," Sasuke added.

Deidara shrugged. He didn't mind that they were here; it actually made him feel better.

"So why'd you run off?" Sasuke asked.

"I-"

"Wait, let me guess," Gaara began. "Sakura?"

Deidara grinned. "How'd you know?"

"It's basically the reason you do anything," Sasuke drawled, his head rolling towards Deidara, grinning.

Deidara blushed. "Shut up! This isn't the time for it!"

"Fine, fine," Sasuke agreed.

"So anyways," Deidara began, "I saw Sakura running behind the buildings. She was going in this direction, and I know she's got something to do with all that's going on."

"She always does," Gaara mumbled.

"Let's just… head this way," Deidara decided, turning back around to the direction he was originally heading.

The three set off. At first, everything was the same as it had been. Quiet. Nothing. Just… silence. It was almost like a strange peacefulness.

"So what do you guys think is going on?" Gaara asked as they walked, his voice breaking the silence.

"I think we're going to be under some kind of attack," Deidara supplied.

Sasuke stopped in his tracks. "You thought that yet you still came out here?"

Deidara glanced back as he walked ahead. "Yes. Now _shhh_."

They walked on in more silence until they heard a low, rumbling sound. It escalated into…

A fart.

"Sorry," Gaara apologized quietly. His face was slightly red with embarrassment.

They kept going, staying behind the houses. They were all empty. It seemed like almost no one was around at all, but they couldn't take the chances.

A low rumbling began again.

"Gaara-!" Deidara began, whipping around, but then the ground started to shake. The boys fought to keep their balance.

"Okay, I _swear_ this is not me!" Gaara defended.

"What's happening?" Sasuke asked worriedly.

"I have no clue, let's get out of here!" Deidara replied.

It was hard to run on the shaky ground, but when Deidara got to the front of the houses he fell against one looking up.

"What…"

He felt Gaara and Sasuke stop behind him.

All along the top of the Konoha monument and the mountains on either side, streaming down, were men. They just kept coming, some of them jumping down (yet surviving), most of them somehow running _straight down._ Even from his spot, Deidara could see the gleam of weapons.

Then, they started throwing explosives.

All Deidara could do was stand as the flames reflected in his eyes.

o.O.0.O.o

LOL GAARA FARTED. XDDDD

sorry I just couldn't help it ._.

I'm thinking that there's a possibility of me finishing this story before school starts :O

But then I get this sad feeling when I think of ending it, plus I just get so LAZY.

So maybe not. xD

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! I love the reviews so much. C:

(P.S.- Pretty quick update, huh? :D)


	21. Chapter 21

ENO-YTNEWT RETPAHC

A smile crept onto Sakura's face as she saw the first men infiltrate the city. She shifted her weight, preparing herself.

_Let's do this._

Sakura jumped, flying out from her spot at the top of the tree. She landed on the top of a building, rolling to lessen the impact. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the other ANBU agents making their moves, but focused her task.

Task: beat the crap out of some enemies.

Sakura figured she'd aim for the ones throwing the explosives, since they were doing the most damage. Sakura raced across the roof, jumping from one building to the next. The first explosive handler she'd targeted wasn't very smart, for he was turned around, focused completely on getting out and setting up his next bomb. Sakura raced up behind him, sticking out her arm as she passed and throwing him to the ground. He was dead in seconds.

_An easy start,_ Sakura thought, looking around for her next target. It seemed like the other ANBU agents had also had the same idea and wiped out the men trained in explosives. The earth-style agents were being put to work with trying to slow down the men coming over the mountain.

Sakura spotted a small group of men, about three or four, slip past the main battle and set off. She decided to follow them, keeping low as she chased them from the rooftops. She had an advantage over them; she knew this city like the back of her hand. It pleased her when she noticed they were heading for a dead-end.

"Dead end," one of them stated as they all stared at the wall, taking a breath.

"Nice going, Shimu," another spat, turning on the man.

"It's not my fault, this place is huge!" Shimu defended.

"Guys, we need to get out of here," the one from before said.

"We know that, Juriko," the man said, glaring. Sakura didn't know his name, but she'd call him Meanie for now.

"Calm down!" Shimu said.

"Well, we need to go-"

"But can't just take a moment to find out where?"

"Then why are you arguing with me instead of doing that-"

"I-"

"Wait!" Juriko said, interrupting their squabble. "I think I sense-"

Sakura landed behind them, blocking their exit route.

"Her," Juriko finished quietly. His eyes got big behind his round glasses.

"A young girl," Meanie observed, eyeing Sakura up and down. "Has the ANBU really fallen so low to where they send weak little girlies to do their business?"

"Weak little girlie?" Sakura repeated.

Her hand slowly moved towards her pack of kunai. _I'll start with those, then I'll release the katana on my back. Throw some punches in between there._

"Yes, that's what I said, should I say it again slower?" Meanie offered, a malicious smile on his face.

"W-wait, don't do that, Dianlo," Juriko said.

_Aim for fatal areas with the kunai, cut down the Shimu guy, knock out the glasses kid._

"And why the h*ll not?" Dianlo asked, turning his head to look back at Juriko.

_Try to keep it quick, and try not to take any damage. And during it all, I need to be awesome._

"Sh-she's got the _pink_ hair," Juriko said quietly.

Sakura smirked as the Dianlo man turned to her, his confidence drained.

She made her move.

Sakura released a flurry of kunai, taking the time to aim a few. Some missed, falling to the ground, but quite a few pierced the ninjas, and they cried out. Sakura was in front of Dianlo in a second, her chakra-induced fist smashing into his face and sending him flying back into the brick wall. She was there in a flash, holding him up against the wall with a kunai pressed against his neck.

"You don't have the guts to kill," he said, weakly trying to insult her.

"Yeah, I do," Sakura replied, and pressed the kunai harder against his neck. She dropped him, letting him fall to the ground. He didn't get back up.

"How dare you-!"

Sakura whipped around, grabbing Shimu's wrist and leading it away from her body, dodging the kunai that he was re-using from her attack. She flipped him, dropping him on the ground and pulling her katana from her back as he slowly got up.

Sakura took pride in her katana, though she didn't get to use it often. It was a wickedly sharp, thin blade, with intricate engravings along one side. They were a metallic green, etched into beautiful swirling patterns. Embedded in the black handle was a small emerald given to her by Kakashi for her tenth birthday.

Shimu was done within seconds. He was easy and Sakura had done it quickly and cleanly. She turned towards the last one.

Sakura could have killed him even easier, and she could have done it simply on her way to kill Dianlo, but she didn't. She had encountered enemies like this before; ones that didn't want to be there, didn't want to be fighting the battle but were recruited. They didn't know the terribleness of Orochimaru's ways until after they joined, and they couldn't just leave or else they'd be hunted down killed.

The situation like this she remembered the most was when she had encountered a young boy (older than her, but still young) who was being forced to continue fighting for what he thought wasn't right. Sakura had saved him, bringing him back to the ANBU headquarters with her and he began training there. They became friends, and he became a trusted agent of the cooperation. He had introduced himself as Fu.

Sakura snapped back to the present, though her little flashback had only taken about a second. She didn't see any weapons on Juriko, so she assumed he was a medic, and didn't even want to fight at all, let alone for Orochimaru.

"I don't have to kill you," Sakura said, taking a step towards Juriko. He flinched back.

"A-and why not? You killed _them_," he said, glancing pointedly at the bodies lying on the ground.

"You didn't even like them, did you?" Sakura asked. "You hated them, in fact. You didn't want to be paired with them, yet you were. You didn't even want to come here, did you?"

"I, I-" Juriko stared at her in shock.

"You don't have to stay on Orochimaru's side," Sakura began to explain. "It's been done before, the switching. You can come on our side, and help defeat Orochimaru and save thousands of lives. You can come and stay in the headquarters, to where you never even have to fight, you can just heal. You're a medic, right?"

"Yes, yes I am," he replied, and stood a little straighter.

"Then don't fight me," Sakura continued, "but rather come on my side. You can help bring peace."

"I…." Juriko looked down at the bodies, then towards the sky. The sounds of fighting echoed around the streets. "I think I will."

Sakura smiled warmly at him. "We'll be glad to have you."

* * *

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh OH MY GOSH!"

Deidara, Gaara, and Sasuke ran for their lives.

"Watch out!" Gaara warned.

Deidara ran with his arms over his head for protection. He looked up, spotting what Gaara was warning them about; a large rock was flying towards them.

"Get out of the way!" Deidara shouted, diving to the side of a building and around the side of a Dumpster. Gaara fell in after him, and the rattling of the dumpster confirmed that Sasuke had pressed himself up against the other side.

The boulder landed with a large crash, shaking the ground and sending up dirt and dust. Deidara clenched his eyes closed, careful not to breathe in by also hiding his nose and mouth in his shirt. As everything settled, Deidara hesitantly brought his face up and peaked around the edge of the Dumpster.

_Wow,_ he thought, staring at the damage. He felt Gaara crawl up beside him.

There was a large crater in the ground, and the rock was slightly cracked from the force of its fall. Deidara pictured what it would have been like if they had still been standing there.

"Let's go," Deidara said, eager to get away.

"To_ where_?" Sasuke asked. "We lost any idea on where Sakura was about an hour ago. All we've done is almost _die_ about fifty times!"

"Don't you guys want to find her?" Deidara asked.

"But _why?_" Sasuke inquired. "What would the purpose of finding her be?"

Deidara stood there, silent. "I don't know!" he exclaimed. "I just want to find her. I want to talk to her, talk to her about all of _this_."

"This whole attack thing going on?" Gaara asked, glancing towards the sounds of metal-on-metal and screams and yells.

"Just _everything_," Deidara explained. "I just…" he trailed off.

Gaara sighed. "So what do you suggest we do?"

Sasuke looked around. "I guess we just stay out of anyone's sight and look for Sakura. Oh, and not get killed."

"Not get killed," Deidara repeated.

_That makes it sound so easy._

* * *

It was past noon.

Sakura was beginning to tire, so she jumped behind a building away from any fighting to take a break. Sakura reached behind her, digging through her pack for her soldier pills. She brought them out and stared at her hand; there were only four left.

_This is going on too long_, Sakura thought as she breathed deeply in and out.

It had been approximately six hours since the battle had begun. While Sakura's side was wearing thinner and thinner, Orochimaru's goons seemed never-ending. Whenever it seemed like they'd almost won, like victory was right in their reach, more would show up. Sakura knew this would be no regular battle; there was no way they could win by just what they were doing. To win, they had two possibilities; one, to pull out some super secret weapon or move that will make them win, or, two, defeat Orochimaru himself. Then, almost all of his men would be called off.

Sakura's thoughts seemed to have willed him, because, speak of the devil, she caught a glimpse of a man with snake-like features jumping on top of and in between buildings.

She normally would have charged after him, I mean he was _right there_! But she hesitated, cautious of him. She knew how powerful and tricky he was. She noticed how even though he was passing right by ANBU, no one else saw him.

She noticed how he made eye contact with her and smirked before plunging into the forest.

Sakura gave chase.

o.O.0.O.o

WHOA, did I update? XD School started, and the beginning gets busy, so sorry bout that.

Truthfully, I'm kind of wanting to get this over with. I want to write LARRS (Like a Red Rose in the Summer) but I'm making myself wait until this is done.

But I'll still love it! :D This was one of my first good stories. I had started WvC like years ago and then was editing it/finishing it to post it here. All the ones I wrote before that are basically crap. XD

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~! :D


	22. Chapter 22

OWT-YTNEWT RETPAHC

Sakura's feet thudded on the roofs as she ran towards the spot where Orochimaru had disappeared. No one paid her any mind as she slipped into the trees, hopping along the branches in pursuit.

_Where's he going?_ Sakura wondered, using his chakra signature as her guide.

Sakura followed him into the trees, deeper into the forest, and recognized where she was when she spotted and old mangled tree. _So he's heading to the old warehouse, huh?_

The old warehouse was an ancient building of Konoha, way back in the forest. It had been abandoned years and years ago, and the roof had collapsed in. All it was anymore was rubble, leaves, and the occasional critter.

_And Orochimaru,_ Sakura's mind added.

As she was coming nearer to the warehouse, Sakura's senses began to pick something up. She sniffed the air, smelling…. smoke?

"How's it going?"

Sakura nearly fell off the branch in surprise. She saved herself though (considering she was a highly trained assassin) and flipped so the she skidded on to a lower branch, facing the owner of the voice.

"_You_," she accused, pointing a finger at the grinning man. It wasn't a fairly friendly grin, and smoke hung around him from when he'd appeared.

"Me!" he replied, pointing at himself. "I haven't seen you in so long? Have you lost weight?"

"No, but I think you _gained_ some," Sakura replied, eyeing his belly with a smirk. She hadn't really known what to say upon her second encounter of this man and the words had just come out.

"Oh, how mean of you!" the man said. Smokey Joe here pouted at her. "And I was trying to be friendly."

"Cut the chitchat," Sakura growled. "Let me pass."

"Well, of course you can pass! I was never trying to keep you from Orochimaru," Smokey Joe said indignantly. "I mean, _geesh_, give me some credit!"

"Then why'd you stop me?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

"So they'd have time to catch up, of course," he explained. "That's what makes it so much more interesting!"

"Who-" Sakura began, but suddenly he was a cloud of smoke again, drifting up above the trees. Sakura heard faint laughter as he floated away.

"Okay, he's got issues," Sakura decided aloud. She looked behind herself, wondering who he could have been talking about. She reached out with her senses, but didn't feel any chakras, and she couldn't hear anything. Still, though, Sakura went ahead, just in case whatever was coming wasn't good.

* * *

"IIIII've been working on the raaaaail~rooooad aaallll the live loong daaaay!"

"Please stop," Deidara pleaded.

"IIII've been working on the raaaaail~rooooooad just to paass the time awaaay!"

"Gaara, make him stop!" Deidara asked, holding his hands to his ears as he walked. Sasuke's voice _could not _ hit that note. He looked back pleadingly at Gaara.

Gaara's lips were moving. He was mouthing the words along with Sasuke's singing.

"Not you too!"

"Caaan't you hear the whistle blooowiing? Rise up so early in the mooorniiiing-!"

"Okay, I get it!" Deidara said loud enough to be heard over Sasuke. They all stopped. "Yes, I know we've been walking for miles, looking for hours, and almost died countless times, and you're getting _bored_, but we have to find Sakura!"

"Deidara," Gaara began.

"I know, I have no clue where she is! But if we just keep looking I'm sure-"

"Deidara, _look_!" Gaara exclaimed, pointing behind Deidara.

Deidara turned around, and there she was; running across the rooftops, her footsteps quick and sure as she hurried. Her pink hair flew out behind her and her green eyes shone in the sun. As she jumped across gaps, Deidara's heart lurched in worry, but she always made it across.

She had made it. He had found her. All was going to be good now.

She disappeared into the woods.

"Quick!" Deidara said, motioning to his friends to follow him. He began running.

His world became shadowed as Deidara entered underneath the cover of the trees. He ran straight through the woods, jumping over logs and bushes, ducking under branches, and just going through any obstacles he could. He didn't look back or slow down to make sure if Gaara and Sasuke were behind him. Not only could he hear their footsteps, but he just knew they would be.

And, once again, Deidara had no clue where he was going. How was he supposed to? It's not like he had a map telling him where Sakura was….. which would have been SO handy.

"Over there!" Gaara shouted, and Deidara looked to see someone jumping through the trees far, far ahead. They changed their course, following who they thought was Sakura.

* * *

Sakura's speed had her through the forest in no time. It wasn't long before she spotted it ahead; the area of the battle that was about to take place. Sakura slowed down at the edge of the trees, dropping to the ground.

The forest stopped for a few miles, leaving a wide open field. There were a few trees dotting it, but it was mostly wild grasses and flowers, plus bare dirt spots. In the middle was the old warehouse; a lot larger than Sakura had remembered it, its rubble covering a lot of ground. There were giant cement blocks and boulders, along with some walls still sticking up out of the ground. It seemed strange to Sakura; the sky was a pristine blue, all she could hear was birds, and the sun shone down as the flowers waved in the wind.

Sakura was reminded of a similar day, from back when she was young. She suddenly pictured it, her younger self running through the flowers, giggling, having fun and being carefree. The warehouse was up and running, her parents visiting the owner they knew.

_Weren't those the days,_ Sakura thought with a moment of melancholy. A sudden spark in Orochimaru's chakra snapped her back to the present.

_Right, right. Super dangerous guy here to fight, and he can easily kill me. Gotta remember that._

Sakura took a quick inventory; she still had three soldier pills, a small roll of bandages, and a very small assortment of kunai and shuriken. She still had her katana strapped to her back, and she could already feel her chakra coming back to her. She was as ready as she'd ever be.

Sakura stepped out of the trees.

It didn't take him long. He was on her in a second; she barely had time to pull the kunai out and turn to deflect him with a _clash_. Orochimaru flew back, skidding on the ground a safe distance away from her.

"Found you~!" he sang with a malicious smile on his face.

Sakura didn't bother to say anything. She ran forward, using her kunai to block the upcoming shuriken he had thrown at her. She swerved to the left, coming up beside him, but he was gone in a flash. Sakura hurriedly looked around, turning around to see all sides, when she remembered her training with Kakashi. Sakura jumped just as a pale hand reached out of the ground to grab her ankle.

Orochimaru followed his hand out of the ground just as Sakura landed. She took no time in stopping and the moment her feet touched the ground, she pushed off, running at him. Orochimaru had just landed, but he saw her coming and was out of the way in a moment. By the time Sakura got where he was, he was gone.

Sakura began running at him again, and Orochimaru stopped, turning around. Sakura could tell by the way he seemed like he was about to puke that he was going to use the sword he held concealed inside himself. Sakura dodged out of the way as it shot towards her. He used it two more times when she tried to get close, and he continued throwing different projectiles at her, whether it be weapons, snakes, or even rocks.

_I can't get close, _Sakura thought with a huff as she deflected another shuriken. _He knows I'm a hand-to-hand combat type person- I can't get him with my katana or strength from so far away._

He sent a layer of what seemed like sharp (and probably poisonous) needles meant to stab into her, so Sakura used her substitution jutsu and was replaced by a log. She had put extra chakra into the jutsu to make it quicker, and appeared behind Orochimaru in less than a second. She pumped chakra into her fist, bringing it down on him. He dodged.

Sakura's fist hit the ground as she muttered a string of curses, glancing around. She suddenly turned, taking a step back. Orochimaru's sword slide past her stomach, rustling the fabric.

"Hello, child," his voice hissed from behind her and Sakura jumped into the air, doing a back-flip over his head as she saw him stab the spot where she originally was. She landed behind him, trying desperately to reach him with a hit but he was gone again, dodging to the side. He suddenly appeared on top of a small rocky out crop and began making hand-signs.

Sakura raced towards him, throwing her last few shuriken in an effort to stop him, but they did no damage, and she didn't make it in time. A wave of black began to sweep over the field, and Sakura leaped back as it approached her. It kept coming, and Sakura couldn't see a way to stop it, except….

_Let's try this._ Sakura formed a few hand signs of her own and while she was in the air from leaping back, she blew a stream of fire that blossomed out from her mouth. The black wave of _whatever_ burned at the touch of her fire, withering away until it had stopped. Sakura briefly felt sorry for the burned wildflowers.

Sakura thought this was going on way long enough; dodge, dodge, dodge, _dodge_. She was on the defense and couldn't get on the offense. But she needed to.

Sakura went with a trick. A fairly simple trick, but she hoped it would work, as long as she could keep her chakra hidden from him for long enough. When Orochimaru took his eyes off her for just a second, she darted off into the forest, running along the inside edge where he couldn't see her. Sakura ran around until she was up on the rocky outcrop, watching Orochimaru as he looked around in search for her. He detected her chakra signature too late; her fist was only a few inches from his face as he turned around, the blue chakra glowing as the force of her jump bringing more strength upon it. Sakura's fist slammed into him, forcing him into the ground and even making a small crater.

Sakura got a triumphant grin on her face as she jumped back, waiting for him to get up.

His body poofed into a small sliver of smoke that curled into the air.

_A doppelganger?_

And here he was, once again taking her by surprise from behind once again. Sakura was pushed back by the force this time, sliding back and stirring up the dirt as pain stung her arms where scratches covered them.

"Took you a while to land just one hit," Orochimaru remarked.

"Took you a while to join the fight!" Sakura spat back. Okay, so she admitted it wasn't a very good comeback, but seeing him –_him_- right there in front of her, she began to get angry.

Sakura ran at him, her rage coming out in an ice blue chakra.

o.O.0.O.o

And so the drama thickens. 8O

XD

Maaaan, I meant to finish writing this chapter like five times this week but then my teachers were all like HOOOMEWOOORK. So… I had a lot of homework. :P

BUT, it's the weekend now, so that means I'll have time to write the next chapter! :D It will probably go quicker since I know more of what's going to happen.

BTW, I don't own the song "I've Been Working on the Railroad". XD Oh, Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke…

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! :D


	23. Chapter 23

EERHT-YTNEWT RETPAHC

Sakura ran at him, her rage coming out in an ice blue chakra.

He slid back out of her way, and Sakura jumped above him, bringing her fist down hard, but he was gone as she just punched the ground. Sakura didn't bother to waste any time, and lunged at him again. They went back and forth for so long, Sakura began to tire. She swallowed another soldier pill to boost her stamina, but tired even sooner again and had to take another.

_One left,_ Sakura reminded herself, slowing down so she wasn't exerting as much energy.

Orochimaru formed a few quick hand signs, and Sakura ran as fast as she could to outrun the fire he was blowing at her. She came up to the rubble of the old warehouse and ducked behind some stone.

The fire blazed straight at her, the flames flickering around the sides of the stone and she began to sweat from the heat. It finally died down and Sakura darted forward, grabbing a large, heavy stone and using her strength to send it hurtling at Orochimaru.

He easily dodged it, but Sakura appeared above him, her foot high and her leg straight, ready to drop it down in a powerful kick Tsunade had taught her. She brought it down with all her power, yet Orochimaru lifted up his arms, blocking her attack. While he was busy blocking her, Sakura swung her fist around, catching him in the jaw. He skidded back, bringing out an explosive kunai and launching it at her. Sakura jumped out of the way just in time, feeling the heat on her face and the slightest smell of burnt hair.

She needed to get closer again. It was her only way to get any hits on him, so she'd have to continue with her distract-and-attack plan.

Orochimaru sent snakes at her from his sleeves, and Sakura deflected them with a kunai, slicing them. She leapt back as he swung at fist at her, and jabbed him in one of his vital spots, sending pain throughout his body and temporarily immobilizing his arm.

"Sakura?"

She turned at the exclamation, and there they were; Deidara, Gaara, and Sasuke. Time seemed to slow down when she caught sight of them, her heart warmed and a small smile even began to form. _They were here!_ They'd come for _her_! They _cared_ for her! Even though these were the same people she had tried to desperately distance herself from, they still came. Sakura felt like she could cry with joy, and anger, of course, considering they came to her -most likely- fight to the death with one of the most powerful enemies known to the ANBU, when they really should be holed up in a bunker somewhere.

"Guys-!"

Sakura felt something collide into her.

That's right, she was fighting. Orochimaru had taken her moment of distraction to race up, and he had her in the air by her throat, a malicious chuckle coming from him as his snake-like tongue slithered out of his mouth. The three boys began running towards her.

"Don't…. come!" Sakura shouted out as loud as she could with Orochimaru's hand tightening around her throat.

The three boys stopped in their tracks. "But we're here to help!" Deidara shouted.

Sakura twisted herself in Orochimaru's grip, throwing her weight up so she hit his head with a chakra-induced kick. He took it hard, stumbling back as he dropped her. She was going to land headfirst until she stretched out her arms to catch herself and flip back onto her feet.

"I don't need your help!" Sakura shouted back. Orochimaru thought that he had the upper hand, but right now he was slowly getting up only a few feet away, licking the blood from his mouth with his creepy tongue.

Sakura raced forward, and he flipped back, but now that they were close, she had an advantage. She dropped down, sweeping a kick along the ground and catching his legs, trying to throw him to the ground. Ha began to fall, but he caught himself. Sakura ran a fist into the ground, causing it to crack as it opened up and Orochimaru tripped over it.

Sakura briefly thought how funny it was that this extremely deadly and trained man tripped over a crack.

But then she had to keep herself from dying, so she stopped smirking and concentrated.

"Aren't you so happy your friends came?" Orochimaru said sarcastically.

"Why'd you bring them here?" Sakura demanded, dodging a fire jutsu he sent at her.

"Oh, you should know, shouldn't you?" Orochimaru said, and began forming hand signs.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" he shouted, which actually helped Sakura out since she knew what was coming. She rolled out of the way, hiding behind part of a broken wall of the warehouse as the swarm of snakes crashed into it. Sakura jumped out of the way as the wall crumbled, stirring up dust.

The snakes shot at her again and Sakura dodged out of the way, but her left arm was caught in a snake's mouth. Sakura cried out, but quickly regained her composure to jab the snake with her free hand, sending it away in a _poof._ Sakura ran through the rubble of the warehouse, dodging the other snakes as she pumped healing chakra into her arm.

"Watch out, Sakura!"

A snake was sneaking around to her left, and Sakura decided that she was done with these. She pulled out her last few kunai and threw it just as the snake lunged, dispersing the jutsu.

They were coming, and Sakura freaked out.

No, not the snakes. She could handle the snakes; it was those three boys who were running across the field to her. Orochimaru's eyes glinted mischievously as he saw them coming.

"No!" Sakura screamed, but Orochimaru had already done it; his snakes were being sent towards her friends at such a speed that the boys didn't even have time to think.

The snakes crashed down on their victims as the earth exploded up in a cloud of dust.

"No!" Sakura screamed again. She raced as fast as she could towards where they were. The dust began to clear, and Sakura realized the snakes were gone. Okay, so that was good.

Except, over there, Sasuke was lying limp on his side, blood running down his head.

Farther away from him, Gaara was lying on his back, his eyes closed and his arm bent at an unseemly angle.

She didn't see him anywhere. "Deidara?" she called fearfully. Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! Where was he?

"Over here!" Orochimaru called. He had returned to his post at the top of that rocky outcrop, but this time, he wasn't alone.

Deidara was half-conscious as one of Orochimaru's snakes was coiled tightly around his body.

"I found a new friend," Orochimaru said, gesturing towards Deidara. "And look at him! He's got such a young, strong body. I'd just love to have it, no? So much better than this old bag of bones."

Sakura froze in her tracks. She had heard of this before; the technique that Orochimaru used to try and live forever. He would transfer to a different body, and then use it until it was worn out. Then, he'd find a new one.

"I hate you," Sakura said quietly, her fists clenching and unclenching. He destroyed her house, killed her parents, changed her life for the worse, he hurt Gaara and Sasuke (killed? No, no… Sakura wouldn't think like that), and now he had Deidara, ready to take him from her.

"That's good," Orochimaru replied, obviously pleased with her distaste in him.

"You're a coward! Taking hostages is just despicable!" Sakura shouted.

"I know," Orochimaru agreed, pulling out his sword and looking the blade up and down. "It's not something I usually do. Most of the time I'll just kill real quick and easy." He grinned at her. "Just like your parents."

Sakura snapped.

"I HATE YOU!" she screamed, pulling the katana from her back and appearing in front of him in a split second.

Their swords clashed, and Orochimaru jumped back for space, but Sakura pushed on. Her rage surged through her veins, giving her power and pushing her forward. She came at him over and over and over, not backing down. He got her a few times; a slash on the arm, a cut on her thigh, and many others, but she barely felt the pain and came back at him with twice as much strength.

Sakura began to use a technique she had only used once before. She began pumping chakra into her sword, and its glowing color ran through the engravings until it reached the top, and her whole sword began to glow with chakra.

They fought back and forth for what felt like so long, but really they were moving so quick that it was only a few minutes. Every time Sakura began to tire, names rang in her head; _Mom. Dad. Gaara. Sasuke. Deidara. _They all gave her the strength to keep going. She may not have been able to save her parents, but she could still save her friends.

Sakura had pushed Orochimaru back and now he was nearing the edge of the cliff. She noticed, with quit some pleasure, that Orochimaru was starting to worry. He was beginning to have trouble blocking her constant attacks. He also hadn't quit expected her to come back so strong, and formed a few quick hand signs while she took a moment breathe.

A large snake appeared out of nowhere, but Sakura just jumped and flipped as it lunged at her, slicing its head of as she passed overhead. Sakura landed in front of Orochimaru, and he didn't even notice he was at the edge until he tried to take a step back from her and almost fell, stumbling.

Sakura sliced him in half, her sword cutting straight through his body. He fell over the edge.

She didn't celebrate. She knew better than that; it didn't end that quick, that easily.

Sure enough, she heard a maniacal laughter coming from the bottom. Sakura looked over the edge, watching as a whole group of snakes sprouted from Orochimaru's bottom half and reached up to pull his top half back together.

"You think it'd be that easy?" he laughed, standing up as his body was all together again. He rolled his neck, stretching his arms.

_No,_ Sakura thought, but said nothing out loud.

Orochimaru lifted up his hand, keeping it open. Sakura tensed, bracing herself for an attack, but all he did was clench his hand as though tightening his grip on something.

At first, Sakura was confused. Nothing had happened. It was silent. Then, her blood ran cold.

"Sa… kura."

Sakura turned in horror to see the snake tightened around Deidara. His face was turning purple and his eyes began to fall closed. His head looked like it was going to explode, and Sakura figured that that was actually what was supposed to happen. The snake hissed, opening its mouth wide as it looked it Deidara, its fangs glinting.

"Deidara!" Sakura shouted, racing to him.

The snake didn't bother her at first, knowing there was nothing she could do. Sakura stopped in front of Deidara. He slowly opened his eyes, looking at her. She almost melted at the look in his blue eyes.

"Deidara…" she whispered, reaching up to touch his cheek. At her touch, he seemed to relax (well, as much as he could while being strangled by a giant snake).

Sakura pulled her sword out, and the snake, realizing the danger, whipped its head towards her, fangs bared. Sakura lifted her sword up, blocking its attack, and retaliating by slicing at its neck. The head halfway fell off, hanging off at the neck, and Sakura expected the dead snake to disappear, leaving Deidara free. But the snake's body stayed put, keeping him held prisoner, though not quite as tightly.

"Sakura," he said, the color coming back to his face. Sakura smiled at him, and he smiled back; he was okay. It was going to be okay. Her body began to feel tired and achy, but she was alive.

Sakura's mouth fell open, her eyes getting wide. She began to cough, and blood came from her mouth. She slowly moved her head to look down, staring at the sword driven through her, its glinting sliver tip stained red.

"I win," Orochimaru hissed from behind her, and she crumpled to the ground, dead.

o.O.0.O.o

WOW, I just wrote all of this within like so much time and now my head hurts~ . No more writing for me today. I'll write more tomorrow after school.

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG I KNOW, THAT REALLY DID JUST HAPPEN. 8O Now all of you really want the next chapter. ;3

Fun to write, but I had wanted to put a lot more fighting in the beginning there. D: But writing that much fight scene is just so haaard. XP

I don't own the series Naruto or any of the characters either. D:

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!


	24. Chapter 24

RUOF-YTNEWT RETPAHC

It was the worst. Terrible. Horrible. Horrendous, awful, unspeakable, dreadful, horrific,_ it didn't even seem real to him_.

But it was.

Deidara saw with his own eyes as Orochimaru snuck up behind her. He couldn't warn her, even though he saw him at the last moment. All he could do was watch as she was stabbed in the back, a look of surprise on her face before it turned dull and lifeless as she fell to the ground. Orochimaru pulled his sword out of her, running his snake tongue along the blade, licking up the blood.

A strangled noise made its way from Deidara's throat as he stared down at her. His vision blurred, and suddenly he was pushing with all his strength at the snake imprisoning him. It eventually loosened enough and Deidara was able to scramble away, falling on his hands and knees next to her.

"Sakura?" he choked out.

She didn't move.

"Sakura!" he repeated louder. Tears were running fast, his face twisted in agony.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. He was just confused, probably asleep. Maybe he had got in another fight at school and was knocked out, and he'd wake up to hear Sakura laughing at his black eye and see her teasing smile. Yeah, that was it. It was all a dream.

Deidara just sat there, waiting. His wounds began to sting and his body ached. Nothing happened. With each passing moment, more tears came as the reality set in that this _was_ real and he _wasn't _going to wake up. Grief weighed down his heart like the whole world was inside of him, pulling it down.

"Sakura," Deidara repeated, reaching out and touching her face. He stroked it; it was cold. "Sakura," he said again.

"She's not going to wake up," Orochimaru said as he finished cleaning off his blade.

"Sakura!" Deidara repeated. He couldn't lose her. He just couldn't.

Orochimaru sighed. "Fine, stay there. You're no threat to me. You'll just die soon enough anyways."

He turned and began to walk away. Deidara stared down at Sakura's body. Her sword was lying in her limp hand, and his fingers itched. Deidara grabbed the katana.

"YAAAAAH!" Deidara yelled, running up behind Orochimaru, the sword raised above his head. But the man simply turned around, jabbing Deidara in the stomach and disarming him. Suddenly Deidara's back crashed into a tree, Orochimaru's hand around his throat, pinning him to the tree trunk.

"You really think you can even touch me?" Orochimaru hissed.

Deidara spit in his face.

Orochimaru released his sword. "Have it your way, I'll just kill you now!"

Then, they came.

Suddenly, people were pouring in from all over, streaming through the trees, jumping on top of them, appearing out of nowhere. Some of them appeared from the trees behind Deidara, and Orochimaru cursed as he let go, stumbling back as he realized his disadvantage. He began forming signs with his hands, and Deidara was surprised when his math teacher, Kakashi Hatake, bowled into the man, cutting off whatever the pale guy was doing.

Then, there was the school nurse, Miss Shizune, and the principal, which Deidara already knew about that relationship. Tons more people came in, and some went straight to Gaara and Sasuke, holding their hands above the two boys' wounds and emitting some kind of glowing stuff, which seemed to help.

"We won against your army, Orochimaru," Tsunade said, glaring at him.

"How?" he asked, taking a step back from all the people that clearly weren't on his side.

"Because we're better than you," Tsunade replied simply, checking her nails to see if they'd been damaged in the fight. "Take him away."

Some of the people that had come up restrained him, putting glowing binds around his wrists, placing written symbols on him, strange tags stuck on him, and grabbing him by his arms, yanking him back.

"Even so, I've still got one on you. So, really, _I_ win!" Orochimaru said, before being pulled away. He was laughing hysterically as he was led away.

"What does he mean?" Tsunade said aloud, looking towards Deidara. Deidara shook his head, tears choking him up again. He slid his back against the tree, falling to the ground.

_She's dead. She's dead, she's dead, she's dead._

"Tsunade," Shizune said, a serious tone in her voice. She pointed off to the left, towards a body lying on the ground.

"Sa.. kura…?" Tsunade stared at the girl crumpled on the ground, and she froze. She stood for a moment, staring at her, then suddenly her eyes glowed with determination as she turned around.

"I need my highest skilled medics here, NOW!" she shouted out, her voice ringing across the field. Some of the people began running towards them. "Sai and Kakashi, come here!"

Deidara watched as Kakashi and that one boy –_Sai_- came running up. Deidara, despite everything, glared at the pale teen who was kneeling by Sakura. Deidara hobbled over, collapsing next to Sai and trying weakly to shoulder him out of the way, still glaring.

Tsunade took a good look at him for the first time. "Someone get a medic on this boy!" she shouted. "He needs some healing!"

A woman came up to Deidara and tried to lead him away. "No!" he refused. "I don't want to leave her!"

"Deidara," Tsunade said calmly, looking in the eyes. "We don't have much time. Please, leave."

If it weren't for that look in her eyes Deidara would've kept refusing and fighting. _We don't have much time._ What did she mean? He let himself be led away from Sakura, over to sit with his back against a tree as the woman healed his wounds.

"Gather any soldier pills we have left over," Tsunade ordered to whoever happened to be within earshot. "We'll need those later." She went on to take all of Sakura's equipment off, removing her sword, pack, even her jacket, leaving her in a black tank top on her upper body. "I'll begin the process. Sai, Kakashi, you'll be there to lend me your chakra whenever I begin to tire. You two can swallow a pill if you start to run out. All of you," she said, gesturing with her head at the group of medics she'd called, "work on the other wounds she has, and then help me."

It may have just been a trick of the light, but Deidara thought he saw tears in his principal's eyes. They vanished as quickly as he thought he'd seen them.

"Come on!" she shouted. "We need to do this!"

Everyone got to work. Deidara sat there, watching as everyone circled around Sakura. They all placed their hands over her, and suddenly there was a large orb of bluish-green light over her. Tsunade's was the main part of it, hovering over the sword wound in Sakura's chest. The other medics were going about and healing the other wounds on Sakura's body, and he watched in amazement as the closed up, leaving the lightest scar that would just fade away.

Deidara looked down at his own wounds, realizing that that was what the woman had done for him. She had left now, but he stayed where he was, watching. He was hoping.

Because why would you put so much energy into healing a dead person's body?

* * *

He didn't know how long it had been.

Ten minutes? Half an hour, an hour? Deidara had dozed off a few times, his fatigue overcoming him, but every time he closed his eyes he saw the same thing in his head over and over again; Orochimaru coming up, the sword stabbed through her, the surprised look on her face, how the life rushed from her body, and then her falling to the ground.

_Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead._

_Dead?_

It all became so overwhelming that Deidara just forced himself to stay awake. He was having trouble seeing what was happening, since the sky was darkening, his tired eyes refused to see properly, and there were a lot of people crowded around there.

All he knew was that Tsunade had been there the whole time. Kakashi had taken a break once by now, Sai twice. The medics switched in and out. People came up, offering food, water, strange little brown pills (he thought he had heard them say they were called soldier pills) encouragement, and some came up just to see what was going on.

Everyone once and a while Deidara would see Shizune run up and hand Tsunade some kind of bottle with some sort of medicine in it. Deidara had no clue as to what it was or what it did, and he didn't want to take the energy to think about it.

Deidara slipped into a sort of memory coma. To him, he was reliving everything, but to everyone else he was just zoned out.

It was every single thing about Sakura. Every single time he'd seen her, heard her, touched her, and smelled her (yes, smelled; he could occasionally catch a whiff of her shampoo) appeared in his mind. It made him feel pretty good, made him happy, seeing her. It was like she was there again.

Then, though, it came back.

Suddenly she wasn't smiling and laughing with him, but being killed.

Deidara snapped himself back to reality. He opted to just lie there, letting nothing enter his mind, keeping it blank. If he didn't think, he wouldn't have to remember.

* * *

He woke up.

Deidara hadn't realized he'd dozed off, and he hadn't woken up before because she hadn't invaded his dreams. Deidara blearily looked around; almost everyone was gone.

A majority of the people had left. The rest were gathered over in a group at the edge of the cliff, circled up and talking. Shizune was sitting off a way, mixing some kind of liquids together. Kakashi was sitting near Tsunade -who was still healing- with his back against a tree as he watched the progress. Sai was standing off to the side, leaning against another tree, a blank look on his face.

Suddenly, Tsunade stopped.

The glow faded. Sensing something, Deidara brought himself to his feet. Sai stood up straight. Kakashi and Shizune both stood up, and the people stopped talking, looking towards Tsunade.

She said something they couldn't hear.

"What?" Deidara asked, taking a step closer. "What is it?"

Tsunade looked at him. She was crying. His heart dropped.

"What is it?" Deidara repeated, urgently wanting to know. He took a few more steps forward.

She smiled as the tears continued down her face.

"A heartbeat," she said. "I got a heartbeat."

The group of people cheered. Kakashi placed a hand on Tsunade's shoulder, and Sai got an actual smile on his face. Deidara dropped to his knees in front of Sakura, placing his hand on her face. It was warm. If he carefully stared at her, he could see her breathing.

Deidara had never been happier in his life.

o.O.0.O.o

OF COURSE SHE WOULDN'T DIE!

I think most of you knew that though. XD Considering that even though I wrote that she died, you're all just like "Good chapter! Can't wait to see what happens next ;D"

I was like WTHeck? The main character just DIED, and that's all you guys have to say? XD XD

But I mean, hey, it's all cool. :D

I feel like this really wasn't one of my best chapters. :C XP I shall redeem myself next time!

This story is coming to a close, my friends! :O It makes me sad. T.T

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!


	25. Chapter 25

EVIF-YTNEWT RETPAHC

**5 weeks later…**

Sakura woke up.

She just laid there, her eyes closed. First, she processed the fact that she was awake, her mind was working. Then, she slowly opened her eyes. Okay, that was another thing now; her eyes were open. Sakura's muscles itched, and she moved her fingers; she could move. Sakura began stretching her arms and legs, breathing in, out, in, out.

She was alive.

Everything rushed through her head at once. Sakura saw herself fighting Orochimaru; Gaara, Sasuke, and Deidara showing up and getting themselves hurt; Deidara being captured and saving him; and then, finally, the feeling of that sword stabbing into her chest.

_I should be dead right now,_ Sakura thought.

Sakura began to sit up, and a beeping noise went off. Sakura suddenly became aware of her surroundings. Almost everything in the room was white, the walls plain save for a painting of a landscape hanging across from her. The floor was tiled white. There was a window, open, with sunlight streaming in and the sheer white curtains billowing in the breeze. A pot of bright red flowers were sitting on the windowsill.

She was in a white gown that had small diamond-like patterns. All around her were different screens and tubes, some of which were connected to her body. On the table next to her, there sat a few cards, and on the inside of one she could read _You'll get better, Sakura, BELIEVE IT!_ Sakura didn't have to see the name signed to know it was from Naruto. She assumed that the others were from her other classmates. A dark blue balloon floated above her bed, its giant letters spelling out GET WELL! Below that, there was a terribly drawn doodle of a smiling puppy along with Gaara's name, and Sasuke's name scribbled out in cursive.

Then, Sakura noticed it. A single pink rose in a tall, slim glass vase. She knew who it was from, even though there was no name. She smiled.

Sakura felt groggy, and that beeping noise was still going. Seriously, if this was a hospital, shouldn't a nurse or doctor have come by now?

Sakura pushed herself so she sat sitting up, and her head began to hurt as the world swirled and swayed in front of her. She closed her eyes to try and clear her head and search for any strength stored in her body. She heard footsteps, and then a knock on the door. It opened, and Sakura opened her eyes to see a warm and smiling face.

"You're awake," Tsunade said simply. The two stared, taking each other in, and then Tsunade rushed forward, embracing Sakura in a hug. Sakura reached up and hugged her back as tight as she could.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Tsunade said, giving Sakura a light squeeze before letting go.

"I'm glad that I'm okay, too," Sakura said, smiling.

Shizune suddenly appeared, standing out of breath at the door since she had just run. "Sakura!" she exclaimed, grinning. "You're awake! You're finally awake!"

"How long have I been out?" Sakura asked, lying back against the raised bed and closing her eyes.

"About five weeks," Tsunade replied.

Sakura's eyes snapped open. "Five weeks? Wow…and…. I'm assuming that we won? Konoha isn't being overrun by Orochimaru?"

"Nope," Shizune replied, and at a look from Tsunade she said, "Should I go get him?"

Tsunade smiled. "Yeah, all of them."

Shizune left.

Sakura looked up at all the screens, reading the numbers and charts. "I…. wasn't in very good shape, was I?"

"Well, you were _dead_," Tsunade laughed.

"How-"

"Shh," Tsunade shushed, cutting Sakura off. "I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but all that matters is that you're okay. None of us could bear to lose you."

Rushed footsteps were heard out in the hallway, along with nurses hollering to slow down and about how not to run in a hospital.

Tsunade stood up, the bed's edge creaking as her weight left it. "I'll talk to you later, and answer all your questions," she said, then opened the door, exiting just in time for them to run in.

Of course, he entered first, barreling into the room and standing there, breathing deeply, and staring into her eyes as she stared right back. In less than a second he was there, next to her, embracing her like, well, like she had died and come back.

Ha-ha.

Sakura reached up, strength surging through her as she hugged him back.

"Oh my god," Deidara whispered against her shoulder. "You're okay, you're okay."

"Of course I'm okay, dummy," Sakura teased, but tears of joy shone in her eyes. She didn't want to let go, but Deidara released her, leaning back so she could see them.

Gaara was standing there, his casted arm in a sling and his whole body covered in almost healed bruises. He smiled at her, a genuine smile that not many people saw. Sasuke had bandages wrapped around his head, along with scrapes and cuts that had healed to pink lines, and he grinned at her.

"Hey, guys," Sakura said quietly, the words sounding lame even to her. She shook her head in disbelief, tears beginning to run down her face. "You guys…"

It was _so_ group hug time. The three boys crowded around her, careful not to hurt her. Sakura felt like she was going to _explode_, there was so much joy inside of her. She was okay, they were okay, everyone was okay. Konoha was safe. It was all fine, and sunny, and just plain old dandy.

"You know, you've missed quite a bit of school," Gaara told her as they all released. "Everyone knows about your incident on your motorcycle. I can't believe you crashed so badly and got impaled near your heart."

Sakura laughed. "Is that what everyone was told?"

"It's pretty believable," Deidara said.

"True," Sakura agreed. "And what was the excuse for the giant battle and all the damage?"

"That was a giant tornado," Sasuke answered. "Though a lot of kids are spreading the rumor that there was a giant zombie attack."

They all laughed, and then it got quiet as Sakura looked at each one of them. She began to cry more.

"Are you okay?" Deidara asked, taking one of her hands.

"Yeah," Sakura replied. "Yeah… I'm just _so_ glad that you guys are okay. _So_ glad."

"We're glad that _you're_ okay," Gaara said. "You know we care for you just as much."

"Enough to escape from our only means of safety, search for you all over Konoha during a giant battle, follow you through the forest and barge into a battle between you and that snake dude," Sasuke snorted.

"Which means we care for you a lot," Gaara translated.

"I know that," Sakura said quietly, squeezing Deidara's hand. It was warm and comforting, his rough artist hands squeezing her hand back. Suddenly, Sakura got a dark aura around her. "Which, by the way, it was COMPLETELY _stupid_ to come after me like that, and not to mention all those other times, and to even run out into the fight like you could somehow make a difference and get hurt and-"

"Whoops, I better go feed my dog," Sasuke suddenly said, jumping up and heading for the door.

"You don't even have a dog!" Sakura shouted after him, but he was already gone. She fell back against the bed, winded from her shouting. She looked at Gaara.

"Hey, I'm not going be a chicken and give you some lame excuse," he said. Gaara leaned forward, kissing her head. "I'll see you later. Get better, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura agreed, smiling at him as he walked out of the room.

It was silent for a moment between the two, now that they were alone. Deidara kept a strong hold on Sakura's hand, not that she was planning on letting go anytime soon. Sakura fell forward, resting her head against his chest and contently closing her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she said quietly.

"_You're _glad that _I'm_ okay?" Deidara repeated incredously. "I have feelings way beyond just being glad. I was so unbelievably worried about you. And, I mean… it was mostly my fault."

"Don't say that," Sakura replied sternly, picking her head up and staring straight into his eyes. "It wasn't your fault. I've been fighting for years, and I could have stopped him, but I didn't. I let my guard down."

"Why have you been fighting for years?" he asked, taking her other hand in his. "Why be a part of that, that organization…"

"The ANBU," Sakura replied, looking off towards the window. A few birds flitted past, outlined by the bright blue sky.

"The ANBU," Deidara repeated. "Who are they?"

"Special assassination and tactical squad," Sakura replied, reciting the standard words said when asked about her organization. "We're a secret organization, known only to a few ordinary civilians. We fight against the enemies of Konoha. We've definitely transformed from being just a squad…. There's five bases spread out over all of Konoha, each containing about a thousand people each. I… I'm pretty well known by everyone, ANBU and enemy." Sakura looked down, pulling a hand away and clenching and unclenching one of her fists. "I've become one of the highest ranked assassins out there, but then again, I've been training for so long…"

"How long?" Deidara asked. "How long have you been a part of them?"

"Ever since I was three," Sakura answered. She looked away, knowing what he was going to ask next and what her answer would have to be.

"Why did you join at such a young age?"

Sakura bit her lip. _I don't have to tell him… yet, I want to._

"I didn't join," Sakura began. "I was taken in, by Tsunade. Since she's the head of ANBU, naturally I began training, and was worked even harder since she was my guardian too. She's been just like my mom for the past thirteen years. I used to live here, in Konoha," she said, gesturing towards the city outside of her window. "I lived in a small, cozy house up in the northern part of the city. I lived there with my parents for the first three years of my life."

"And then?" Deidara probed.

"They died," Sakura said simply, looking at her lap. "Orochimaru killed them."

Deidara was silent, and Sakura was almost afraid to look up. What was he thinking right now? She had no way of knowing unless he told her.

"So… you don't have parents either, huh?" he said.

Sakura nodded.

"Did… did you see it?"

Sakura looked up, meeting his gaze, and saw worry in his blue orbs. "No… they were on a mission. They were defending the Hokage," Sakura said. "It was what they always did, that's why we lived so close to the Hokage Tower… and they accomplished their mission. They were able to hold off Orochimaru while the Hokage made it to safety. Except… they gave their lives for their mission. And I'm proud of them for that." Sakura lifted her chin. "And I'm also willing to do the same."

Sakura let that sink in. _I'm willing to give my life for the mission. I'd die proud._ Deidara had to know that. She'd always try to make it back safe and sound to see him, but if it meant accomplishing the mission, she'd die for it.

"I understand," Deidara said softly, staring down at their clasped hands. "I guess I understand."

"I don't die easily," Sakura said.

"You just died a few weeks ago," Deidara reminded, looking up to meet her gaze with a half-smile.

"But that was for you," Sakura replied softly.

They stared into each other's eyes, knowing what the other was feeling. Sakura squeezed his hand harder, never wanting to let go.

"I wouldn't let you die for me again," Deidara decided. "Next time, I'll save you. I'll be the hero to swoop in."

Sakura laughed. "And steal my spotlight? No way!"

Deidara grinned at her as she laughed. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly in surprise. A light blush crossed her cheeks. "Deidara, don't go all mushy-romantic on me."

It was Deidara's turn to laugh. "Hey, it's what a guy does when he's in love."

Sakura stared at him.

"Oh crap," Deidara said upon realization, his face turning red. "Did I really just say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did," Sakura answered, grinning.

"Oh my god… I mean… I mean, I didn't mean to say it right now, yeah, but it just came out and-"

Sakura kissed him.

"You…" Deidara stared at her. "You just kissed me."

"Hey," Sakura replied, "it's what a girl does when she's in love."

Sakura leaned forward to kiss him again, and this time Deidara leaned forward too, kissing her back.

"You know," Deidara said as they came apart, though they still stayed close as they rested their foreheads together, "as the guy, I'm supposed to make the first move like that."

Sakura shrugged. "Eh, that just shows how much tougher I am than you."

"Say that again," Deidara challenged.

"That just shows how-"

Deidara crashed his lips into her, his hands reaching around and holding her back. Sakura relished his warmth and the softness of his lips. Her mind went blank, and nothing mattered at the moment except the two of them.

"Wha- Sakura! What are you doing?"

The two pulled back to see Tsunade, Kakashi, and Shizune standing at the door.

"No kissing in the hospital," Tsunade scolded, but she winked at the two of them, grinning.

"Why, Sakura, what is this?" Kakashi said, looking between Sakura and Deidara and back again. "You're kissing a boy? As basically your father, you should have talked to me first and I would have followed him around, stalking him with my assassin skills to make sure he's going to treat you right, and then captured him and taken him into interrogation and-"

"Kakashi," Sakura groaned. "Please, just STOP talking."

Deidara was laughing. "What, you think this is funny?" Sakura asked. "He's done it before, when I was fourteen, and I just had a little crush on a boy. The boy moved out of Konoha, Deidara. He _left the country_."

Deidara stared at her, wide-eyed. "Nice to meet you, sir," he said kindly, looking up at Kakashi with a scared smile.

"Yeah," Kakashi said, turning to walk out of the room, "I thought so."

o.O.0.O.o

Aaaah, what a sweet chapter. :'D A joy to write! I had fun writing this one for some reason. XD

I'm estimating that there's going to about two or three more chapters (one or two chapters and then a prologue)

Because I'm thinking about having a time skip to them spending Christmas together. :D XD But that's a could-or-couldn't do type of chapter. So there's at least another one, then the prologue.

I was looking through all the old chapters and reviews and I suddenly got hit with all this GaaSaku-ness. T.T

So I really want to write LRRS now. D: But I'm staying true to my word!

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!

Oh, and yes, that was a sucky kiss scene. XD But that isn't really my thing, so that's all you get! Now, BEGONE!


	26. Chapter 26

XIS-YTNEWT RETPAHC

"This is SO not cool," Sakura complained. "I mean, seriously, I've only been out of the hospital for _five days_, and I'm already back at school? I still can't believe it."

"What," Gaara began, "just because you saved countless lives, the whole city of Konoha, and secured our freedom, risking you life to do so and therefore spending a month in the hospital, you shouldn't have to go to school?" he joked.

"Exactly," Sakura pouted, sinking down in her seat. Once again, she would have to just sit through the day, relearning things she'd already had in the ANBU academic classes like she'd been doing since she'd moved back.

"Hey, at least you're getting a ton of stuff," Deidara said, eating another piece of chocolate. "Everyone seriously believes you got in a motorcycle accident!"

Sakura stacked the cards she had gotten together, placing them back in her backpack. "Hey, quit eating my food! I live off that sugar!"

"Hey, you're supposed to give it to me," Deidara argued, pulling the box of candy out of Sakura's grasp. "That's how it goes; you're a girl, so you don't eat a lot and then give some of your food to your boyfriend!"

Sakura blushed upon hearing him say it. She just wasn't used to it yet; _boyfriend_. That was the word that she heard all the other middle school ANBU girls squeal about as she trained instead.

"I don't care about your stereotypes," Sakura retorted. "Just give me the candy!"

"You'll have to fight me for it," Deidara challenged. He then saw the look on her face. "Actually, you can have it. I choose to keep my ability to walk."

"Mm-hmm," Sakura replied, just as Kakashi was walking in. "I thought so."

"Hello, class," he greeted. "Are you ready to get back to learning?"

"No," everyone groaned.

"Well, I still don't feel like teaching, so it's settled then," Kakashi decided. "Do whatever you please."

The class erupted into chatter as Kakashi leaned back in his chair, pulling out his yellow book to read.

"Time for our kick-back-and-relax period," Sasuke said, leaning back into his chair.

Sakura laughed. "I wonder if Kakashi will let us go walk around outside?"

"Are you sure you're up to walking around?" Deidara asked worriedly. His eyebrows met together as his blue eyes watched her in concern.

Sakura gave him a stare. "Deidara, I'm _fine_."

"I know," Deidara sighed. "But if you ever feel anything, or if you're tired then just tell us and we'll-"

"Deidara," Sakura groaned, giving him another look. "I'm _okay_. Seriously, I've never felt better. Well, except for that one time right after I went to the spa and gotten a warm hot chocolate and the movie theater was showing for only a dollar-"

"Okay," Deidara laughed. "But it's too cold to go outside anyways. I'd rather just hang out here."

"Me too," Gaara agreed, dipping his head.

"Third-ed!" Sasuke said as he let his head flop back over the top of the chair.

"Okay," Sakura replied. She pushed her chair back, standing up. "I've got to go to the bathroom. I'll be back."

Sakura walked up to Kakashi's desk. "Can I go to bathroom?"

His lone eye glanced up at her from reading his book. "Why don't you just ask to go walk around outside?"

Sakura grinned at him. Good ol' Kakashi. "Hey, it's more fun this way."

His eye crinkled, indicating that he was smiling. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Sakura headed out of the room, down the hall and then the flight of stairs. There was a side door at the bottom of them, and Sakura took it outside rather than the hassle of the main doors. The side door, marked with a large blue "4" to show that it was door number four, let Sakura out behind the school, near the Dumpster. She walked past it, lazily moseying along the tree line of the woods behind the school.

She had needed some time to go out and contemplate, so Sakura figured right now was fine. Even though she tried not to act it, she was different now. Everything felt different. She wasn't sure if it was just her, or if everyone else was feeling it too, because no one else showed any signs of it. Ever since her big battle, nothing, for her, had been the same.

First off, it felt like a dream. Like a story. Sakura felt that her battle with Orochimaru, while large and dramatic in the present, was now something of the past. To her, it felt so long ago, like an achievement she'd had was just something hanging in the back of her head.

_Humongous battle that took my life and saved millions of lives? Hmm, let's think about it… Oh, yeah, that!_

Even though people were congratulating her all the time, Sakura felt as though it wasn't as big of an accomplishment as everyone made it out to be. It didn't give her any sense of fulfillment; she hadn't been able to kill Orochimaru. _He'd_ killed _her_. All she'd done was wear him down and then get killed as the ANBU swooped in and got him in the nick of time.

The only thing Sakura could really account herself for was killing some of him minions. Plus, she'd saved Deidara, Gaara, and Sasuke, and just that in itself almost made up for not killing Orochimaru. Saving them really mattered to her; _they_ really mattered to her. How could they not? After everything they'd been through in just a few months, Sakura had grown to love those boys, even when she'd tried so, _so_ hard not to. They'd marched into her territory, breached her perimeter, and broke down the walls she'd built up.

Another thing that had changed Sakura, was that she died. I mean, it's not like, "Whoops, I died, good thing I'm alive again!" and then you're off to do what you used to. No, it changes a person, especially since it doesn't happen often. She lost her life, had it taken from her.

She'd felt the sword go through her chest, impaling her and cutting off her blood streams from her heart. She'd felt the hard impact of the ground as she'd fell, she had lost sight as her vision went black and her eyelids fell closed, her heart's beat withering down until it was nothing.

She'd died. It was unbelievable, really.

Sakura looked down at her hand, clenching it into a fist. And now, here she was, alive. She wasn't just telling Deidara that she was fine to make him feel better. She truly felt fine –good, great, even _better_. Sakura felt stronger, as though more chakra was running faster through her veins, as though she could take on Orochimaru all over again, except this time she'd win. Sakura felt powerful, renewed, like she had been reborn. It felt amazing, her heart beat a steady metronome.

So did seeing him. Sakura hadn't quite convinced herself, but she thought that she might –possibly- that there was a small sliver of a chance of her being in love. I felt right though, when she said it in her head or to herself in the mirror.

"Hey, you," Sakura had called out, her reflection staring straight back into her eyes. "Yeah, you. You're in love."

"_I know I am."_ She had pictured herself replying. Then, he would be in her head, filling it to the brim as she thought of him until she realized she'd just been standing in the bathroom for over five minutes.

Deidara was driving her crazy. But in a good way.

Sakura also wanted to know what would become of her future. Her and Tsunade had moved back to Konoha because Orochimaru had become a threat. Now that he was taken care of… would they stay? Or would they begin to travel again?

So, Sakura was having some inner turmoil; she hadn't killed Orochimaru. She saved the ones she loves. She'd died. She might just be in love. She wasn't sure if she was going to move and never see anyone again for years.

There was just one other thing she was wondering. Sakura looked up.

"Are you proud of me?"

Sakura stared at the soft white wisps of clouds that were being blown across the skies. The leaves rustled in the wind. She stared at the sky, waiting for an answer from them. Had her parents even heard her? She'd never know.

But somehow, someway, Sakura knew they'd be proud of her.

She was refreshed. She was renewed. She was ready to keep on living her life, wherever it was going to take her.

* * *

"Hey, Sakura, do you want to catch a movie with us?"

Sakura turned, looking behind her, but spotted no one. "Me?" she asked, turning back around. She had one hand on her locker, about to shut it, with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

Ino gave her a look form her spot among their group. "No, Forehead, we meant the other girl with pink hair behind you."

"I sense you're being sarcastic," Sakura accused, crossing her arms and squinting at Ino in inspection.

"You have sensed correctly," Shikamaru droned, rolling his neck.

"Shut it, Shika!" Ino pouted with her hands on her hips. Kiba laughed at her, his pointy canines showing.

"So, do you want to come?" Naruto asked, grinning at her.

Sakura hesitated just a moment. She looked at Naruto's grin and Hinata's sweet smile. Gaara gave her an encouraging look.

"Sure, why not?" Sakura agreed. She hooked her thumbs in her front pockets, following the group out of the school, laughing as they all shared a joke. Whatever mission Tsunade would give her could wait; she was going to hang out with her friends.

o.O.0.O.o

I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF NARUTO. Just the plot line, baby! ;D

Wow, it's been a while. . Sorry guys, I've been really busy lately and this just got brushed off to the side.

I'll update soon! I think I'm going to switch up the ending a little from what I had originally thought. ;D I'll have to see.

This was a so-so chapter. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. C:

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!


	27. Chapter 27

NEVES-YTNEWT RETPAHC

"_The real me used to laugh all night, lying in the grass, just talking 'bout love. But lately I've been jaded, life got so complicated_."

Sakura grinned at the song that came on after she'd pressed play on her iHome. She was hanging out at home, a t-shirt and jeans on. No ANBU uniform in sight- not right now.

"_I start thinking about it, almost forgot what it was like. Do you know what it feels like?_"

Sakura was putting clothes away in her closet, mouthing the lyrics as she hung up some shirts. She was in a good mood; right now, she was carefree.

"'_Cause with you, I can let my hair down, I can say anything crazy, I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground_."

Sakura began to sing along, spinning around on her toes and throwing some dirty clothes into her now empty hamper.

"_With nothing but a T-shirt on, I never felt so beautiful, baby, as I do now. Now that I'm with you_~"

Of course, Sakura pictured Deidara in her head. A big smile filled her face as she thought of him; he made her so happy.

"_You speak and it's like a song, and just like that all my walls come down. It's like a private joke, just meant for us to know._"

Wow, the song related to her so wondered why she hadn't listened to it earlier.

"_I relate to you naturally; everybody else just fades away. Sometimes it's hard to breathe, just knowing you found me._"

Sakura was kind of dancing around her room as she sang while she worked.

"_'Cause I start thinking about it, I almost forgot what it was like. Do you know what it feels like?_"

"Sakura!" Tsunade's voice hollered from downstairs. "Come here, I need to talk to you."

Sakura pressed pause on her iHome, opening her door and bouncing down the steps, the song still playing in her head.

"'_Cause with you, I can let my hair down, I can say anything crazy, I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground_._ With nothing but a T-shirt on, I never felt so beautiful, baby, as I do now. Now that I'm with you_~"

* * *

_That Pinkie,_ Deidara said in his head. He got a smile after thinking about her.

He was sitting at home, in his work room. It was supposed to be used as an office room, but now it was Deidara's clay working room. His pottery wheel was lying unused on one side of the room, and music was blasting form a stereo system. Deidara was sitting at his desk, clay sculpting tools laid out all around him as he slightly bobbed his head to the music and mouthing the lyrics.

"_So many thoughts that I can't get out of my head. I try to live without you, every time I do I feel dead_."

Deidara started with a flat piece of clay, taking a knife and cutting a small circle. He then sculpted the outline of a rose, and did the same process over again with the flattened clay, except this time smaller. Once he had about four rose outlines done, he laid them on top of each other and began to form them together into a full rose. He morphed the outlines to look like layered petals, beautifully aligned.

"_I know what's best for me, but I want you instead. I'll keep on wasting all my time._"

Once the rose was looking how he wanted it, Deidara got up, going over to some shelves that held his glazes. Some of them he'd bought by himself, and some of them he had, uh, _borrowed_ from different places. He looked through, finding the right shade of pink to use. He carried the correct jar back to his desk.

"_Over and over, over and over, I fall for you. Over and over, over and over, I try not to._"

Once he had the whole rose painted, Deidara put it in the small kiln that, actually, he did not steal. He'd saved up for it all on his own, which he was proud of.

Deidara went back to his desk and began shifting through all the odds and ends in the drawers of his desk, checking in some mini makeshift ones on top until he found what he was looking for. Deidara pulled out a slightly old sliver chain. It would be good after he shined it up a little. It should fit around her neck perfect; she'd love the necklace.

"_Over and over, over and over, you make me fall for you. Over and over, over and over, you don't even try to…_"

* * *

Deidara was walking hand in hand with Sakura, Gaara and Sasuke on the other side of him. It was lunch break on the second-to-last day of school before autumn break. They were walking on the sidewalk outside, the colored leaves of the trees blowing in the fall wind.

"I'm flying to Lightning Country," Sasuke was boasting. "My family's going to be staying in a super fancy house up in the mountains with an amazing view. We get to go skiing, too."

"Good for you," Deidara pouted.

"What are you guys doing on autumn break?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing," Gaara replied, shrugging. "Having dinner with the whole family. The usual."

"I figured we'd all just hang out, since I'm not doing anything either," Deidara said. He pulled at Sakura's hand. "What about you? You've been quiet."

"I'm not going to be here," Sakura said softly.

"Are you going on vacation?" Gaara asked.

"No," she replied quietly. Sakura's hand squeezed Deidara's hand, searching for comfort. His heart dropped- something was wrong.

"Sakura?" He stared at her, but she was looking at the ground. "Sakura, where are you going?"

"I'm leaving."

Deidara stopped in his tracks, Gaara and Sasuke next to him. Sakura was a step ahead, her back to him, their fingers still intertwined.

"No," Deidara said in disbelief.

"Yes," Sakura replied shortly. "Tsunade and I moved here for a reason. Orochimaru was a threat to Konoha, and we were here to help protect everyone. Now that he's gone… Konoha is peaceful. There's other ANBU agents here to take care of the little things. My skills are needed elsewhere."

"So… you're leaving?" Gaara asked quietly. She turned and looked at the three of them. Tears were in her eyes.

"Yeah," Sakura choked out. "Tomorrow… tomorrow afternoon."

Deidara just stared at her. He looked at her silky pink hair, her soft skin, her pink lips and her emerald green eyes. He listened to the tone of her voice and thought of her beautiful smile. He felt the softness of her small hand in his.

"Where will you go?" Sasuke asked.

"We're going to travel." Sakura answered. She looked up at the sky and got a joyful look in her eyes. "Just Tsunade and I. We'll go all over, finding out information and protecting people, healing them and saving them from the bad guys. I'm going to train, too; I've still got so much to learn. There's so much out there to learn, to see... I'm going to get better, stronger. I'm anticipating it." Sakura looked up at them again. "You guys will see that once I come back. I promise to come back. Someday."

The bell rang. Students began filing back into the school.

"We have class," Sakura reminded. She mustered them up a smile, but there was only some happiness in it. "Come on, guys. I still have a whole day until I leave."

Gaara and Sasuke slowly began walking back to the school entrance. Deidara stayed where he was, his hand in Sakura's. His heart felt empty, yet heavy at the same time.

"I don't want to let you go," Deidara stated, holding onto her hand. Sakura looked at him, tears brimming her eyes. He pulled her arm, bringing her to him and she hugged him tightly, her arms around his neck and her head against his chest.

"You guys have all turned me into a crybaby," she sniffled. "What kind of assassin cries all the time like this?"

Deidara didn't replied, just hugged her tighter, feeling her warmth against his body.

"I'm going to miss you so much," he said.

"I know."

"I'll barely make it without you."

"I know…"

"I'll be waiting for you every day."

"I know."

"I love you, Sakura."

"I know," Sakura cried, tears coming from her eyes. "I know…"

* * *

Sakura had said goodbye to them all at school. Her, Ino, and Hinata had all hugged each other tightly and started to cry. Chouji hugged her too, and Shikamaru and Kiba both gave her a quick hug with some encouraging words. Naruto basically tackled her to the ground with his hug.

She'd miss them. A lot.

Now, after school, was the harder part. Deidara, Gaara, and Sasuke all came home with her. There wasn't a moving van, only Tsunade's sleek black car. Kakashi was helping Tsunade attach Sakura's motorcycle to the top.

The two adults nodded at the melancholy teens as they passed, giving them a sympathetic smile.

The boys followed Sakura inside. There wasn't too much of a difference; they were traveling, not settling somewhere else, so all the furniture and most of the stuff was staying in the house. Few things were gone; a couple pictures off the wall, some kitchenware, things needed from the bathroom.

They followed Sakura upstairs to her room. She had a suitcase, a small bag, and a backpack. The suitcase was filled with her clothes, essential ones. Her uniform and other clothes. The clothes she had that would be considered vanity items (skirts, cute shirts, multiple pairs of shoes, stylish jeans, etc.) were left in her closet and dresser. Her small, attached bathroom was basically empty. Sakura showed them her weapons room for the first time.

"Wow," Sasuke said as Sakura opened the door. He was the first one to speak since they'd left the school.

"These are all my weapons," Sakura explained. "All my ANBU stuff. I come in here to restock; whether it's getting more kunai, bandages, sharpening my sword, or replacing something that was ripped on my uniform. Or," Sakura smiled. "sometimes I come in here to be an angsty teenager and sit by myself."

Gaara and Sasuke gave a little laugh. Deidara stayed silent.

Sakura walked over, zipping up her suitcase. Sasuke grabbed it from her, offering to take it down.

"Tell Kakashi that my weapons are ready to pack too," Sakura told him. Sasuke headed down the stairs.

Sakura finished by putting a few other things in the small bag, then set it on the ground. In her backpack she had all the things she wanted to carry around with her at all times. She packed some of her toiletries, and then her medical pack and some kunai and shuriken. Sakura also packed a notepad, her sketchpad, and a pencil case, along with her iPod.

Sakura pulled the things in her mirror out, folding the papers as she put them and the pictures inside her sketchbook where they'd be safe. Those were precious to her.

Kakashi popped into her room, going to her storage room and loading her weapons into a special container that also held Tsunade's. When he was done, he walked out, waving a hand at the teenagers as Sasuke walked up.

"Tsunade's almost done," he said. "Are you about ready?"

"Yeah," Sakura replied, looking around her room. Kakashi left.

Sakura sat down on her bed with a _plop_. She stared around her room, taking it in. She was happy to go travel and train, but she'd miss it here.

"You're really leaving," Gaara said in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Yeah," Sakura sighed. "I really am. But I'm going to go travel the world, guys. I miss it a little, to tell the truth. I feel like I've been here for so long. I want to go discover things." She sighed again, looking around real quick then back at them. "You know, I've come to know -and then left- a lot of places, but I still have to say that this is the hardest one to say goodbye to."

"Yeah," Sasuke sighed. "We're just that good here."

Sakura laughed, but suddenly a car horn beeped outside. The mood instantly became depressed.

"We'll meet you downstairs," Gaara said, referring to him and Sasuke as Sakura shouldered her backpack, using only one of the two straps. Gaara carried down her other bag.

It was quiet for a moment. "You've been pretty quiet," Sakura said softly, looking Deidara in the eyes.

He shrugged. "Hey, the girl I'm hopelessly in love with is about to leave me for who-knows-how-long."

"I'll be back," Sakura promised, stepping up to him.

"I know you will." Deidara embraced her, resting his chin on her head. "And I'm happy for you, I really am. I just don't know how I'll be able to stay here without you."

"You were able to live without me before," Sakura pointed out as they released each other.

"That was before I met you," Deidara argued. He stopped, reaching into his pocket. "Hold on, I have something for you."

Sakura watched as he pulled something out, and then on his outstretched palm was a beautiful rose necklace. Sakura's eyes got big at it, and she looked up at Deidara who nodded, saying she could take it. Sakura held it, rolling it over in her hand. It was almost the same shade of pink as her hair, and the rose was beautiful.

"I made for you," Deidara explained. "I was going to save it and give to you later, but…"

Sakura reached back, clasping the chain around her neck. The rose sat perfectly on her neck.

"I love it," Sakura said, going on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you so much. Now, where ever I go, I'll look at this and remember you." Sakura grinned.

They was silent a moment, standing there. Sakura looked towards the door, but her feet didn't want to move. She sighed. "I should go."

"Yeah," Deidara replied, and Sakura finally got her feet to take a step. After that it seemed too quick, because the next thing she knew, she was tossing her backpack into the back seat of Tsunade's car, closing the door.

Kakashi had opened up Sakura's door, and Tsunade was already in the car, hands on the steering wheel. Sakura turned to the three boys standing in a line behind her.

Sakura gave Sasuke a quick hug, and he patted her back. "See ya, Saku. Don't forget to stop in again."

"I won't," Sakura replied.

Sakura squeezed Gaara in a tight hug, and he kissed the top of her head again, holding her just as tightly. "I'll see you again, Sakura. I'm happy for you. Don't forget to pack umbrellas wherever you go."

Sakura gave a little laugh. "Okay. I'll miss you, Gaara."

He gave her a sad smile. She moved on.

Sakura just stared into those liquid blue eyes of his. "Deidara…"

He embraced her again, and they held each other even tighter this time. A few tears escaped form Sakura's eyes. They pulled back, meeting each other in a kiss.

"I love you so much," Deidara whispered. "I hope you know that, Pinkie."

Sakura gave him a punch in the arm as another tears came from her eye. She brushed it away, grabbing one of his hands with hers. "I love you, too, you big idiot," She said softly. "Try to stay out of fights," Sakura said, a little louder.

"I'd say the same to you, but I guess that's what you're training for," Deidara said. He gave her a smile, and through it she could see his heart hurt.

"Goodbye," Sakura said softly, pulling away as her hand slid out from his.

Sakura got in the car, pulling the door shut. She looked out the open window into the eyes of each of them.

"Bye," Sasuke said, pulling his hand out of his pocket to give a little wave as Tsunade put her keys in.

"See you, Sakura," Gaara said, nodding at her. Tsunade started the engine.

Sakura looked into Deidara's eyes once again. He seemed to where he was about to cry, though he'd never admit it.

"Bye, Sakura," he said quietly, barely loud enough for her to hear.

"Goodbye," Sakura replied softly, giving the three a warm smile to remember her by.

And then, Sakura was carried away, into her future, into a new start on her life.

* * *

**~THE END~**

* * *

o.O.0.O.o

DON'T WORRY, THE EPILOGUE'S COMING!

Since they're in the Naruto-world, I thought they wouldn't have Thanksgiving break so I gave them "autumn break". XD

Man, that ending got mushy-gushy. XD I should've had someone ambush them and then Sakura, Tsunade, and Kakashi take out the bad guys in a super awesome fight. :'D That would have been good...

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the series Naruto, or "Over and Over" by Three Days Grace, nor the song "With You" by Jessica Simpson. XD

And sorry for the kind of late update. :\ My grandpa died, and it really took a toll on my family... so I kind of wasn't in the mood for writing. DX

...OHMYGOSHIT'SALMOSTOVER. I can't believe it. D:

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE~!


	28. Epilogue

EUGOLIPE

Deidara closed his empty locker.

Nothing was left inside, a strange sight after seeing it stuffed for the whole school year. He was just carrying the last of his binders and folders home; it was the last day of school before the summer started.

_Everything's going to start to change,_ he thought, rearranging the two binders so they were easier to hold, stacking the folder and spiral notebook on top.

It was the last day of his senior year; over two years since Sakura had left.

Deidara was going to be heading off to college the coming spring, already having been accepted by an art college. He'd be driving his motorcycle constantly back and forth between college, home, and his new job.

Deidara began walking down the hallway, towards the steps to take him off the third level of the school. He began thinking of Gaara and Sasuke; they'd both be going to college immediately as well. Sasuke got accepted into a prestigious college a little over an hour away, and was staying in the dorms there. He was moving off at the end of August.

Gaara, meanwhile, would be going to KCU: Konoha City University. He'd be only 15 minutes away (if he drove his shiny red car) and was staying in his apartment with Kankuro and Temari- who was moving out soon, leaving the two boys.

Deidara took the stairs down to the second level, then slowly down to the first. School was over now, and everyone was gradually going home, saying goodbye to their friends. Deidara thought maybe he'd catch Sasuke before he drove off in his sleek, expensive black car. They were planning on hanging out tonight, on their last free night, before everything changed.

Deidara pushed open the front doors of the school, stepping onto the concrete and walking down the sidewalk as a brisk breeze blew in the air. His eyes searched for Sasuke's car, but suddenly, screams reached Deidara's ears. Everyone in the school yard stopped, looking towards the noise.

Deidara spun, looking over towards the large oak tree in front of the school. A group of freshman girls with wide eyes were scrambling away from sitting at the tree's roots, and leaves fell from it as someone climbed down.

Deidara stared with wide, unbelieving blue eyes. She jumped, landing gracefully on the ground, looking up and giving him that smile that his heart had ached to see.

"I've been waiting for you," she said, grinning.

A smile broke out on Deidara's face, so big that it threatened to take over his other facial features.

"Sakura!" he exclaimed, dropping his books onto the ground and racing up to meet her. Deidara grabbed her in a hug, picking her up and swinging her around before setting her back on the ground. His action pulled laughter like bells out of her, making Deidara smile even bigger.

"You're back," he said quietly, hugging her as soon as he set her down.

"I am," she responded, snuggling into his hug. They pulled back, looking at each other after being apart for so long.

"Geesh, did you grow two feet?" Sakura laughed.

"Ah, I've been eating my vegetables," Deidara joked, grinning.

She was taller too, but only a little. Her hair was about the same length, possibly even a little shorter, since being an assassin and having long hair didn't quite go together all the time. Her emerald eyes sparkled with a new strength he hadn't seen in her before, and her face glowed with happiness. It was a little less rounded, too, after all her hard work.

In her hug, Deidara had already felt that she was stronger. She held a sense of power with her now. Deidara also noticed the rose necklace hanging around her neck.

"You've really become strong, huh?" he asked, leaning down and kissing her cheek.

"I could take on five Orochimaru's!" Sakura boasted.

"But how many hungry Deidara's could you take on?"

The two turned, spotting two others standing behind them.

"Gaara!" Sakura shrieked, running past Deidara and tackling the redhead in a hug, which he gladly returned. Sasuke was strolling up behind them, and Sakura hugged him, too.

"Aren't you supposed to come back with long pretty hair?" Sasuke teased as they released. He too was taller, with a more mature face and –though it was hard to believe- a happy look in his eyes most of the time.

"You and your stereotypes," Sakura huffed. "Besides, Deidara's got that covered for me."

"Hey," Deidara protested, giving her a pout.

"Well, it's true," Gaara agreed. Gaara was taller too, of course, and he'd let his hair grow out a little, but said he'd be getting it cut shorter for college.

The four of them stood there, looking at each other. They were almost grown-up now, after only that long, but they were together. They were reunited.

"….wow," Deidara stated after the moment of silence. "It's you! It's really you…"

"Yeah," Sakura answered quietly. "It's me."

Deidara just stared at her. She'd be gone without a word for over two years, yet he hadn't expected her back so soon.

"By the way, before we catch up…" Sakura began, "I have a little something for you that I found while traveling, Deidara."

Deidara gave her a questioning look, wondering what it could be. Suddenly a car pulled up to the front sidewalk of the school, and Sakura took him by his hand and pulled Deidara towards it. They stopped in front of it, and Sakura gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

A woman got out of the driver side of the car, pulling off a pair of sunglasses and looking at him in a mixture of love and disbelief.

"Deidara," she said.

Deidara stared at her short blonde hair. "Mom?"

She rushed forward to meet him, grabbing him in a hug. Deidara was still a moment, and then, hesitantly at first, put his arms around her. She hugged him tightly, rocking him side-to-side.

"Oh, my sweetie," Deidara's mom hummed, holding him an arm's length away. She looked him up and down. "Look at you! You're so much taller than me! And look at your hair, it's so much longer! It's beautiful, honey. Oh, and you have your father's blue eyes," she observed. "I haven't seen eyes that blue in so long…"

Deidara just stared at her, stunned. "Mom?"

The woman smiled. "Yes, Deidara, it's me."

He turned his head towards Sakura. "Where did you find her?"

"Oh, all the places mixed together after traveling so long," Sakura said, sighing. "I just knew she was your mom though. I had a gut feeling." Sakura grinned. "Plus, she was getting pretty temperamental with the fruit seller and was threatening to punch him."

A goofy grin got on Deidara's face, and he looked back at the woman in front of him. "Yeah, that's definitely my mom."

"I asked her if she had a son named Deidara," Sakura continued to explain. "And when I told her I could bring her to you, she was so happy to be able to see you again."

"I've wondered where you went," his mother said. "First, your father moved, then after finding him I found out you weren't with him anymore but with your grandma, so then I went and found out that your dear grandmother had passed away and you were probably living on your own. I had no clue where in Konoha you were and continued to travel."

"Did you talk to Dad?" Deidara asked. He hadn't talked to his dad in about ten years. For ten years, Deidara had absolutely no contact with him. He wondered what the man would have said about him.

"Yes," she said, smiling. "You should go visit sometime. He said he gets lonely every now and then."

Deidara swallowed. He'd get to that, one day. "Okay," Deidara agreed.

"Now, who are these handsome young men?" Deidara's mother exclaimed after Gaara and Sasuke walked up.

"Hi, I'm Gaara-!" the redhead began to introduce, but the woman was already hugging him, then moving on to Sasuke.

"Why, hello there! Are you boys friends with Deidara? That's so nice!" she said, smiling at them. She looked back at Deidara, nudging him with her elbow. "And by the way, Deidara, you did a fine job on getting yourself a girlfriend." Said boy blushed. "Ha! You'll have to tell me everything I've missed once we catch up later."

"Everything?" Deidara repeated. He looked at Sakura, knowing she was sharing the same memories, some of which he couldn't repeat to anyone; not even his own mother.

"Everything," she said firmly, clasping her hands together.

* * *

The four of them all went to Deidara's house first, driving their vehicles separately. His mom had a few things to do, so she left the teenagers to themselves.

"Ah," Sakura sighed, flopping down on Deidara's couch and sprawling across it, taking all the space up.

"Make yourselves at home," Deidara muttered sarcastically, seeing that Sasuke was already helping himself to the fridge, Gaara peering over his shoulder.

"Will do!" Sasuke said, pulling out a can of pop and opening it.

"Oh, grab me one too!" Sakura requested from the couch. Gaara grabbed three, handing one to Sakura, one to Deidara, and keeping one for himself.

"So," Gaara began as he settled down in the chair. "You have a lot to tell us about."

Sakura gave a little laugh. "You guys tell me about what's going on here, first!"

Deidara sat down on the other end of the couch, scooting Sakura's legs over. She turned, sitting the right way and leaning against him.

"Ugh, fine," Sasuke said. "Just don't go all lovey-dovey on us."

"Where should we start?" Deidara wondered. So much had happened in the past two years, how could they possibly relay it all? He had so many things he wanted to tell Sakura, but right now, he couldn't think of any of them.

"Well, Naruto, surprisingly, is going into politics," Sasuke began. "He'll be heading to KCU this spring to start."

"Wow," Sakura said. "Naruto in politics? I mean, I know he said he wanted to be Hokage, but I never would've thought he'd actually pursue it."

"Yeah," Gaara agreed. "And Ino's going into cosmetics, she really wants to be a beautician. She'll be at KCU, too."

"I'm not surprised," Sakura said, giving a smile as she thought of her beauty queen friend.

"Hinata's going to go to college for teaching," Sasuke added. "Since her family is pretty wealthy, she's going to be going to some higher level college."

Sakura nodded. "I'll have to make sure I get to see her before she leaves. But what about you guys?"

"I'll be going to KCU, too," Gaara said.

"And you'll be pursuing…?" Sakura trailed off, leaving him to fill in the blank.

"I'm…. really not sure yet," Gaara admitted, resting his hands on his knees. "All I know is that I want to do something with science, so for the moment I'll just be taking all kinds of science classes. I want to do some kind of biology. I'm thinking maybe desert."

"That's cool!" Sakura complimented, smiling. She leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees and resting her head in her hands. "What about you?"

The question was directed at Sasuke. "I'm moving," he replied with a sad smile. "I'll be staying in the dorms of a college a little over an hour away. I'll be studying business, of course. I'm taking over my father's company one day."

"That's right!" Sakura exclaimed, sitting up straight. "That will be so cool! Hehe, you'll have to wear a _suit_," she teased. They all knew that, surprisingly, the rich boy hated dressing up.

Sasuke and Gaara gave a laugh, and Deidara shook his head while chuckling. "You haven't changed much, have you, Sakura?"

"Ummm," Sakura pretended to think about it. "Nope! Don't think so."

They all shared another laugh, and Deidara relished in the fact that they were all here, together, laughing.

"How about you?" Sakura asked, leaning into Deidara again and looking up at him.

"What about me?" Deidara asked, breaking out of his trance.

"Are you going to college? I mean, I'll understand if you weren't smart enough and-"

"I'm going to college, too," Deidara interrupted. "I'll be heading to Konoha University of the Arts. It's about fifteen minutes away, if I take my motorcycle."

Sakura gave a little shout of delight, hugging Deidara. "You got accepted into an _art_ college! I'm so happy for you, I knew you would!" Sakura encouraged, running her fingers over her necklace.

Deidara grinned at her. "And you?"

"And I?"

"Are you going to college?" Gaara clarified.

"College?" Sakura scoffed, crossing her arms. "Heck no! Assassins don't go to college!"

"Well, _excuse_ us," Sasuke begged sarcastically.

"You are not excused," Sakura jokingly replied. Sasuke punched her in the arm, and she punched him back three times harder. Sasuke planned to never punch Sakura again.

"How come?" Gaara asked, referring to why she wasn't going to a college.

"I've never gone to school really," Sakura said, leaning back into the couch. "I went to kindergarten, but that didn't work out." Sakura wouldn't say anything else about why it didn't go well. "And then I took all my classes at the ANBU corps. I came here for how-long just for the mission, and then missed the rest of high school while I was traveling, though I already took all those classes."

"Ah, I see…" Sasuke said, nodding in a silly fashion. Sakura giggled. She stopped, looking around the room and at the three boys with a smile on her face.

"Man, I've missed you guys," Sakura admitted. "It's been almost two years-"

"Over two years," Deidara corrected.

Sakura smiled. "_Over_ two years, yet it feels like yesterday that I came to the school."

Gaara laughed. It was a deeper sound then before; he was older. They all were. "It does. It seems like the three of us were just wondering, _What the heck is up with Sakura girl?_"

They all laughed again. "I was wondering what was wrong with _you_," Sakura replied. "I got this red-haired, tattooed stalker following me around-"

Gaara protested, but they all kept laughing.

"-this boy with hair like a chicken butt saying that he wants to go out with me-"

The three of them began laughing so hard, they didn't even know why. For some strange reason, it was just _so_ funny.

"-a-and then there's a boy with long girly hair trying to punch- punch m- pu-!"

Sakura couldn't even finish, they were all laughing so hard. Tears were in their eyes, and Sakura rolled off the couch onto the floor, her hair splayed out behind her.

It took them quite a while until they could catch their breath, and when they did, they all just sat there (or laid there, in Sakura's case) contently. They all smiled at each other.

"You know what?" Sakura asked, folding her hands on her stomach as she stared up at Deidara's ceiling with a smile.

"What?" Deidara replied.

"I love you guys," Sakura said.

They all agreed that they felt the same.

* * *

Sakura was making her rounds.

On her days off like this -with no missions, training, or data gathering; no recruits to teach, no one to heal, and no one hollering for help; no chores, errands, or rooms to clean- Sakura made sure to make her rounds and see everyone.

Sakura stopped by and visited Tsunade, catching her as she had her morning coffee. She kissed her "mother" on the cheek and sat and chatted with her on so many different matters. Tsunade worried about her, asking her questions that sakura answered with just "I'm fine, everything's okay." Sakura then got up and visited her room, grabbing a few things to take to Deidara's house since she was half living there, helping him balance home, work, and school.

Sakura would also, if they weren't out on missions (like today), visit Kakashi and Sai. She'd train with Kakashi and talk with him, and she'd take Sai out to experience something else of the modern world he'd never gotten to know. Today, Sakura and Kakashi worked on their chakra control, which she was better at, and he complained about becoming an old man.

Then, Sakura took Sai out to play putt-putt. It was really funny watching him do that.

Then, of course, Sakura had to get those split ends cut. Maybe get a shampoo. So, she walked down to the small beauty salon with the flowers in the windows and the light pink siding. Ino rushed out and greeted her.

"Forehead! Are you here to get that mop of yours cut?" But she was smiling with her blue eyes shining as her friend walked in. Sakura gave her a hug and made sure to tell her all the latest gossip.

From the beauty salon, if she hopped from the top of a few buildings, Sakura could walk to the elementary school where Hinata volunteered, just in time for the lunch break. She went and sat with the soft-spoken girl, talking with her as they watched the children play on the playground. They caught up with each other, and helped solve any problems the other was having by giving advice.

From there, Sakura went home to eat lunch, making Deidara one and packing it in a paper bag. She threw it into the compartment of her motorcycle, hopping on, revving the engine and then speeding towards KCU.

Luckily, Sakura got there right when some classes were letting out. She knew that Naruto should be in a class on the first floor, so she sat outside the school on a bench until he came out for a break. When he did, he set his stuff down and grabbed Sakura in a bear hug before showing her his 97 that he got on his test.

"I don't believe it," Sakura said to humor him.

"Believe it!" Naruto shouted, an enormous grin on his face. Sakura sat with him a moment, then went around back to where she knew she would find Gaara.

He was sitting with his eyes closed, calmly listening to the music that played from speakers that were hidden somewhere.

When Sakura walked up, he said "Oh, look, it's the Stalker again." bringing up their old high school joke, making Sakura smile.

"Hey, I have a right to stalk you now," Sakura retorted. She sat with him then, asking him for advice on different matters. Unlike Hinata, she could talk with him about her ANBU life.

Sakura asked if Sasuke was at home today, and when Gaara answered that he was pretty sure that the busy teenager was, Sakura bid him goodbye and walked off the campus, pulling out her cell phone and giving Sasuke a call. She chatted with him as she walked to her motorcycle, giving him the latest news on what was going on with everyone and he told her how everything was going with him, but he was very busy, and by the time Sakura got to her motorcycle, he had to go. Sakura said goodbye, and hung up.

When Sakura glanced at the clock on her phone, she decided that she needed to hurry. Sakura once again (and like always) sped off on her motorcycle, zipping down the roads for about twenty minutes. She did, in fact, obey the traffic laws this time, so it took her longer than usual. Finally, she pulled into the parking lot of another college. No one was out and about, since most of the classes were in session.

Sakura walked through the empty hallways, occasionally passing someone and nodding politely in greeting at them. After taking a flight up stairs up a level and heading down the hallway, Sakura came upon a pair of open glass doors. She walked in, and it was quiet. Shelves of books were in an orderly pattern in the middle of the spacious room, and on one side of them were many computers, all hooked up to the walls. Some of the college students were working at them, creating complex designs and patterns.

Sakura passed these people, going in between the shelves of books to the other side of the room where there were large tables used for studying and drawing. Few people were over here, but Sakura only needed one of them.

He was sitting at a table pushed up against the wall at one edge of the room. He didn't see her, since he was concentrating so hard. There was an open book to his left, and a large white paper in front of him with other papers scattered around the table's surface. One of his hands was holding his pencil, moving it across the paper, and the other was going from turning the page, to holding his paper, to keeping his blonde bangs out of his face as he drew.

Sakura walked up, still unnoticed until she sat down next to him, placing the sack lunch on top of his book.

"Lunch," Sakura explained with a smile as he looked up. "It's already 2:30!"

"Sakura!" Deidara exclaimed, and then quieted his voice as other students glared at him. "You're here!"

"Of course I am," Sakura replied, making sure to keep her voice down. She leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "You know I love to come see you work."

Deidara glanced down at his drawing with a troubled expression. Sakura took a glance at it and saw that he had drawn something, then erased it, then drawn something else, then erased it again, and had done that several times. On the papers all around, there were sketches, some clear and others messy or scribbled out.

"Geesh, you're going to have to get a new paper soon," Sakura said, scooting her chair closer to his. "What are you supposed to draw? What class is it for?"

"It's for my conceptual drawing class," Deidara replied. "We're supposed to do something big. And I don't mean in size, but like something that has greatly affected us, is dear to us or that we hate… just something _big_." Deidara sighed.

"And?" Sakura prompted. She still didn't know what he was having a problem with.

"Most of the others are having trouble thinking of something so meaningful that happened in their life," Deidara explained. He turned to her, giving her a small smile. "I'm having trouble about which I should choose to draw out of everything."

Sakura gave a little smile as she knew she shared similar memories. Suddenly, she could make more sense of the sketches thrown off to the side. There was a toy being run over by a suitcase, a car driving off from a house, a single yellow canary in a birdhouse on his own. They all made sense to her.

"And the conceptual part?" Sakura asked, wanting to clarify her thoughts.

"We're not supposed to straight out draw it," Deidara said. He picked up the suitcase sketch as an example. "Like, instead of actually drawing out my mom leaving my dad and I, I've drawn her suitcase running over one of my toys on its way out the door."

Sakura nodded. "I thought so…"

She continued looking at his ideas so far. Besides those, there was also a messily colored gold cat chasing a pink bird. There was a snake coiled around a dead pink flower, and that picture really got to Sakura's heart. She continued leafing through, seeing some she didn't know, one of yet another car driving off- yet this one was going into the unknown, and some not quite as important as the others.

"All of these," Sakura began, setting the papers back down, "are all sad."

Deidara looked at her in surprise, then back at his ideas.

"You don't want to draw any of them, right?" she asked.

Deidara shook his head. "No… none of them really appealed to me."

"Because they're sad," Sakura insisted. "You're focusing on all the bad parts of your life. You've had so many good things happen to you, too." Sakura gave him a big, loving smile. "You need to draw something happy, full of joy."

Deidara stared at her, then got a big smile of his own.

"I know what I'm going to draw," he decided, and began to work. Deidara had no clue how Sakura could cause so many problems, yet solve almost all of his. It was like she was his princess in shining armor.

_What a strange girl, _Deidara thought with a smile.

* * *

**/\**

**~FIN~**

**\/**

* * *

o.O.0.O.o

And I leave you with this, my friends. C':

It's over! I can't believe it, like AT ALL!

I mean, LIKEOHMYGOSHIT'SSERIOUSLYOVERANDI'! :O

**Notes:**

-I really like the line "Heck no! Assassins don't go to college!" XD XD XD Looove it~!

-I don't know if there are conceptual drawing classes at colleges, especially ones in Konoha. XD I made that up.

-I'm not the proudest I've been of the ending, and I'm sorry if it hasn't satisfied all of you. :C

-This chapter was like sooooo long for me. :O It's over 4,000 words, and most of the time my chapters go from 1,000 to 2,500.

-I clearly didn't go with that Christmas idea I had. XD

-Now that this is over, I'll just be taking a small break, then I'm back to writing! It's time for _Like a Red Rose in the Summer_, my GaaSaku fic. :D

**-I seriously want to thank everyone that read this story and gave me such kind and encouraging reviews. Some of you really warmed my heart, and for that, I thank you. :'3**

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!

(That's the last time I'm typing that for this story T.T)


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